Ensnared
by Shiny-Toy-Swords
Summary: AU; Modern times. Sakura returns to do-over her final year at a prestigious high school. All is the same except for a new teacher. A new, young, and beguiling teacher. Disclaimer: The only character that is mine is Uematsu Sakura. All the rest belong to their respective creators (borrowed NAMES from Chobits and Fruits Basket). (Next Update Sept. 10, 2014)
1. Prologue

**Prologue: The Princess Who Lost Everything**

She sits in the quiet room of her fourth period class, Japanese. The teacher allowed for some silent time to work on their creative writing assignments, so the only audible sounds came from the scratching of pens or pencils on paper. Sakura loves this subject; she always has stories and poems running through her head. Fortunately, Shimizu-sensei would have a free writing assignment due every other week, so Sakura could expel all of the pent up creativity.

For this assignment she writes a short story about a prince and princess who fall in love during a time of war. Ultimately, the princess dies sacrificing her life to save her loved ones. It is just before she can pave the way for the possibility of a happy ending the door to the classroom slides open. Kokubunji-sama, the principal, stands at the door and motions for Shimizu-sensei to speak with him in private.

"Uematsu Sakura, a word out in the hall," Kokubunji-sama calls out as he steps away from the doorway.

Sakura looks around garnering concern from her friends in the class and the rest of the seniors. She slowly gets up then walks to the door. After she steps outside of the classroom Shimizu-sensei slides the door shut. The younger and older ladies look at the principal with concern as he dons a grave look on his face. Finally, averting his gaze from the window to the two in front of him, he speaks.

"There has been an accident," Kokubunji-sama starts off gaining their full attention, "I received a call from the hospital and immediately came down here. Your parents were involved and have been admitted into the ICU," he says to Sakura and her jaw nearly drops to the floor. "There is a squad car at the front ready to take you to the hospital."

Without a word Sakura bolts to the front of the school. She nearly trips down the flights of stairs as she bulldozes through and just barely misses knocking over a couple juniors along the way. "No running in the school!" a student teacher calls out to her as he leans out of the doorway of the class he is assigned to. He runs his fingers through his long silver hair in exasperation as she ignores him completely. Not slowing down a bit or turning to apologize. She throws both of the school's front doors open and sees the squad car. The officer waiting outside holds the door to the passenger side open for her, and she leaps in. They speed to the hospital as Sakura holds her head in both of her hands. Silently, she holds back tears and prays.

At the school, the student teacher turns back to his class ignoring the stifled laughs of the students who witnessed his futile attempt to exert his authority. "Read to yourselves the story on page 231: _Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again_. On a sheet of paper compare and contrast the two leading characters. No less than 300 words and due at the end of class," the student teacher says to his second years as he strides over to the window. Students groan and shoot glares at the ones who laughed. At the window his golden eyes watch as the front double doors to the school are thrown open, and the silver hair of the student who defied him trails back as her long legs take her to the squad car. He continues to watch as they speed off.


	2. Back Again

**Chapter 1: Back Again**

"The owner's of Uematsu Law Firm involved in a terrible accident."

"Truck crashes into Uematsu vehicle directly after Itchiro-sama wins year long murder case. His wife, Chitose-sama was in the passenger seat."

"No sign of foul play, but authorities suspect otherwise."

"Itchiro and Chitose Uematsu pass away in Osaka General leaving behind their 17-year-old daughter."

"Hyoga Minoru convicted for the murder of Itchiro and Chitose Uematsu."

The headlines were everywhere. On all day long so that everyone would talk about it. For months it was like this; constant reminders that they, my loving parents, are gone. As I walked the halls of school my peers would whisper amongst them as I passed. Teachers let anything wrong I did slide such as falling asleep in class or missing due dates. My friends would try to cheer me up, but I was beyond help. For my eighteenth birthday I stayed home and cried to myself on the floor of my bedroom as the leaves on the trees began to change color. I did not return to school the next day, or the day after that, or the day after that. Against my will, my body would not move. It was not until the school called for medical attention, worried that I may be suicidal, and the white coats showed up at my house. They whisked me away to a place where I could get treatment for severe depression. I did not stay long. After a session with my therapist, Yuzuki-sama who asked what my parents would want from me, I immediately pulled myself together and was permitted to leave after a few more days under surveillance.

As soon as I got home I put my plan in motion to move on. I sold the beautiful manor we use to live in after blessing and cleansing it of all the negative emotions I created in there. I donated all of our belongings to charity but kept the few family heirlooms and photos. With the money I made from selling the manor I was able to purchase a spacious studio apartment in the upper-middle class district of Osaka. Just a step down from where I once lived. The rest of the money, along with the massive amount my parents left me, are in savings after paying for the funeral and my medical bills. However, I will admit that I splurged a little. Any girl can shamelessly admit to retail therapy. I bought several things for my new place to replace the everyday necessities I got rid of from my old home. I also bought a whole new wardrobe. New clothes equal new start, and good shoes will take a girl to good places.

And so it began. I created a whole new life for myself in my mind at the sanitarium, and I was beginning to live it. In this life, my new life, I am a reformed citizen of Japan. I was a rebellious yankii in high school and was soon expelled. Grew up rough with no parents around to care for me or scold me. I was raised by the streets and loyal to only myself until I got caught up in a gang war. I was nearly raped and murdered until a detective intervened and saved me. The detective encouraged me to escape from the nasty spiral my life was, and go back to school. She was kind, and pulled several strings to get me back in so I could finish my senior year.

And I am back again. Back at Shikon Academy to redo my senior year. I arrived early before any of the other students, so that I could talk to the principal and discuss my placement. I stand at the threshold looking up, and then I take a deep breath and open the door. The familiar feeling of this school engulfs my body, but there is something different. I am alone here realistically and figuratively. The halls are empty as I make my way to Kokubunji-sama's office. He greets me at the door with a smile and lets me in. I sit in a cozy chair that you would find in high-end furniture galleries. This is the first time I have set foot in his office, so naturally I inspect every piece of fine furniture and take in the over-the-top presentation of the place. "_I sure hope the students tuition money didn't pay for all of this,"_ I think to myself.

"It will be good to have you back, Uematsu-Chan," he says to me as he sits down and folds his hands on top of his desk, "It is rare that a school of our caliber would allow back a drop-out, but given the circumstances, and the well thought out letter your therapist wrote us, the board was more than willing to allow you back in."

"I am truly grateful for a second chance, Kokubunji-sama," I square my shoulders and smile back, "I will not let anyone down this time," I finish bowing at the waist to show my superior respect. I sit back down and he hands me a folder.

"Inside you will find your new homeroom number and a list of instructors. There is also information regarding your new locker and basic school policies. You do not have to worry too much about the handouts as you have been coming here for almost three years. It is just standard procedure to give them to "new" students," he air quotes the "new" with his fingers and we both laugh. We stand and he lets me out. I roll my eyes after turning away from him. The yankii inside me shakes her head at my forced brown-nosing.

By the time I leave his office the other students have arrived. I make my way through the throng to my locker so that I can change into my school shoes. I was assigned the old locker I had before, and seeing it reminds me of my old friends who are now at University. In my flashback, I change the school uniforms we don into hood clothes of tight jeans or shorts and leather jackets. Yumi leans against the lockers with a cigarette sticking out of her mouth while Takako speaks with a client on a stolen burner phone. I chuck the school shoes into the locker and pull out my strappy, faux-snake skin stilettos. "We'll be there to pick up the stuff in an hour…Yes, we have all the money," Takako says into the phone then hangs up. She gets up and nods to us, Yumi tosses her cigarette to the side, and we all leave.

I am lost in this daydream of leading my all girl gang as I make my way to class 3-A. There are already students in there who regard me inquisitively as I step in. I take a seat at the front of the room in the desk closest to the door. I pull my pen, planner, and notebook from my bag and wait for class to start as I look over my schedule:

Homeroom: 3-A Instructor: Mr. Inutaisho

1st Period: History Instructor: Mr. Motosuwa

2nd Period: Calculus Instructor: Mr. Shinbo

3rd Period: Physics Instructor: Ms. Saito

4th Period: Phys. Ed Instructor: Ms. Mihara

5th Period: English Instructor: Mr. Nekoi

6th Period: Japanese Instructor: Mr. Inutaisho

"_Mr. Inutaisho…"_ I wonder to myself. I have never heard about this teacher. He must be new.

"We have Mr. Inutaisho for homeroom!" One of the girls in the back of the class squeals.

"We are so lucky to be in his first class teaching as a full time teacher! We also have him for Japanese! He's so handsome…" another chimes in.

"And young, too! I heard one of the teachers in the faculty office say he's only 24-years-old!" the first girl exclaims.

"Wow, so close to our age! Maybe we could…"

"Shhh! Minami, you know that relations between students and teachers are forbidden!"

"Oh, but Motoko! You know I've had a crush on him since he was here last year as a student teacher!" the girl called Minami whines.

Before Motoko can respond the door slides open and in walks a tall, masculine man with long silver hair. Behind me I hear the two girls swoon as they and everyone else takes their seats. _"So this is Mr. Inutaisho,_" I think to myself as I cross my legs and rest my chin on my wrist.

"Good morning class 3-A. We have a new student joining us," Mr. Inutaisho says as he sets his briefcase on the desk and takes off his coat, "Would you like to stand up and introduce yourself?" He questions with his eyes down and focused on settling into his desk. No one responds, and I feel eyes begin to pile on me. Mr. Inutaisho looks up irritably and turns his gaze on me. He raises his eyebrows at me, and I immediately figure out that I am considered a new student.

"Oh," I gasp at this epiphany and raise giggles and snickers from the class. I stand up, introduce myself, and then sit back down. I feel my cheeks warm as more laughs are heard, and inside I want to tell them all to shut the hell up. I settle for rolling my eyes, and brushing my hair behind my ear. I look towards the teacher who still has his eyes set on me. Our eyes lock for a moment before he stands up with papers in his hand. He proceeds to hand out a few to each column of desks and pauses once he gets to mine.

"Uematsu," I look up once the cold voice calls my name. He hands me the papers to take one and pass the rest back. _"I foresee a long day ahead,"_ I inwardly sigh to myself.

In spite of the anxiety I feel during all of my classes I manage to pull through really well. Escaping to my fantasy life when I can. I think about the past and replace the clean-cut images with ones of me leading my girl gang through the school day. In these fabricated flash backs, I am tough and no one dares to disrespect me. And I am having fun sticking out from the rest of the class in uniform as I don denim shorts, a white crop top, and a leather jacket. I imagine that, in the present, I am the reformed yankii so none of the gossip and snickers going on about me by my fellow classmates can pierce my skin. Why? Because gangsters do not "give a fuck" that is why. _"And not a single fuck will be given,"_ I think to myself as I rewrap the bandage around my wrist that I now have to wear thanks to the mishap during Physical Education with the Dreadful Duo.

I finish securing the band-aid just as 6th period starts. Mr. Inutaisho walks in, suitcase in tow; with the same grumpy and stern look on his face that was there this morning. "Damn, I guess even coffee couldn't help to rearrange your face," I say not realizing I had said it out loud. Dead silence and big eyes on me, I feel adrenaline spike up my back. _"Good time to stop working, Mind-To-Mouth Filter!"_

He regards me coolly with a lifted eyebrow, and I sink into my seat.

"How dare you say that to Inutaisho-sensei, _Ronin_!" Minami shrieks at me from behind, "Just because Shikon Academy was kind enough to let you back in does not mean you can mouth off to your superiors!"

The name she called me, Ronin, triggers something in my mind. The name given to masterless Samurai in the feudal era also doubles as a name for those who fail to get into University. I gape at her as I process why she called me that, and suddenly I remember. My parents are dead. Am I Ronin because I have no parents, no leader? Or am I Ronin, a _master_less Samurai, because I have yet to _master_ high school? My other side comes to my rescue as I nearly fall back into the abyss I spent months in the sanitarium to climb out of. Quickly, my face rearranges from holding back tears into one ready to fight. I shoot Minami a death glare potent enough to cast a dark shadow in the room, "Well aren't you just the patron saint of hypocrisy? I suggest that you, _kohai_, sit down and shut the hell up," I monotonously say to her, "On a side note, when I finish my studies doesn't define me. I'll still get there. I'm going to do you a favor and pass that as the reason why you called me Ronin." Under my death gaze she slowly nods and sinks back into her seat.

"Uematsu will be staying after class, alone, to perform the cleaning duties. At the bell the rest of you are excused to your after school activities," the class cheers at Inutaisho-sensei's orders, and I turn to face him after glaring back at Minami's and Motoko's smug looks. He has his book open in one hand while the other flips through pages. "Turn to page 31: _Introduction to Poetry_. Uematsu, stand up and read the summary then the first poem that follows." My eyes shoot daggers at him as I stand and ignore the snickers from behind me. _"And this was the one subject I was looking forward to."_

The class starts to pack up once Inutaisho-sensei dismisses them. I remain still save for rubbing my throat and searching for my bottle of water. Instead of stopping at that one poem, he made me read the entire section! He would interrupt me commanding me to speak louder so that everyone can hear me, and now my throat hurts. The Dreadful Duo hit me with their bags as they walk by, and I force myself to ignore them even though they tediously had to step over other desks just to be able to walk down my aisle. Once the last student leaves I stand and head for the cleaning closet. I pull out the duster, wipes, broom, dustpan, and mop. Then, I begin to clean the classroom from top to bottom. _"This room is beyond filthy. How can these third years be so messy?"_ I shake my head to myself as I head to the front of the room to take down the beast of a chalkboard. Inutaisho-sensei sits at his desk doing paperwork, and I try really hard to not smack him as I walk by.

"Uematsu, why did you have to be_ let back in_ to school?" I hear him question me, and with nothing else to do I respond.

"Surely, you know the reason why. I was the talk of the town for a few months," I turn to him, and he looks to be remembering something. I finish wiping down the chalkboard and grab the broom. "_Finish the floor, and I'm done."_

"It's a shame what you had to go through, but Minami is right. It's unacceptable to come back to school with such an attitude," he says and tilts his head to the side, "If there is something you need to talk about, let us know."

"Well, I have a therapist for that," I say turning away to continue cleaning the floor, "You know that as well. It's on my file."

"That's not what I was referring to," I turn and he is standing very close to me. He gently lifts my left wrist (the one I scraped when Minami knocked me over in P.E.) and says, "This school has a strict tolerance policy for harassment. If another student caused this, you should say something."

I yank my arm back ignoring the sting from the bandage yanking off clotted blood attempting to close the wounds. "I just fell, Inutaisho-sensei," I regard him with respect hoping that he will come off it, "It's nothing to worry about." As much as I would love to have one less problem, dealing with the Dreadful Duo, I remind myself of the strict codes I lived by as the leader of an all female gang. One being: snitches and talkers get stitches and walkers. Even though I am a reformed citizen, the codes are my way of life.

"You've done a good job today, Uematsu," he says after staring me down for the truth, "The classroom is cleaner than I have ever seen it. You may leave now."

Desperate to get out of there (and not willing to turn my back on him to put the broom back into the cleaning closet), I hand him the stick with a tight smile, grab my things, and walk out of the classroom while watching his reflection in the windows as he stands there grasping the stick of the broom; looking at it curiously. I power walk out of the school and off campus. I make it to a bench conveniently placed on the sidewalk and plop down gasping for air. _"Wow, the tension in that room nearly suffocated me."_ I rerun the past event in my head until my breathing calms down. I come to the conclusion that Inutaisho-sensei is a strange one, and I should keep communication with him to a minimum. I gather myself and head for the train station to get home.

It takes around a half an hour for me to get to my stop (if I take the express train), and then a ten-minute walk to get to my apartment building. The building is modern with western influence. I let myself into the ground floor foyer and greet the front desk attendant as I make my way to the stairs. I live on the third floor in a corner unit, so I have a wonderful view of the city. I open the door and the sunset over the city skyline welcomes me home through the large panoramic windows. I kick off my shoes and step into my apartment placing my bag on the kitchen island to my right. I hang my school uniform jacket on a set of hooks near the door, and look around my home. In the center is a two-seater couch and matching chair aimed at a 106 cm flat screen. A glass end table stands at a junction between the pieces of furniture with a small lamp on top of it. To the left of my "living room" I have my "office"; a desk and chair placed at an angle in front of the windows so that every time I look up I see the city. To the right of my living room is my "bedroom"; a full sized bed with pull out drawers to store things in pushed against the corner. I also have a nightstand next to my bed and a dresser. Adjacent to the entrance is another door that leads to the bathroom. _"And this is home,"_ I sigh to myself as I sit down on my couch and stare out the chunk of window in front of me. It is small, but it is cozy and perfect for just me. A single person home for a one-person family.

* * *

File No.10079 Page 1/3

Student: Uematsu Sakura

DoB: October 5 (18-years-old when spring term starts)

Occupation: High School Third Year at Shikon Academy (held back one year)

Class: 3-A

Rank: 4/356 (previously; awaiting grades from current term)

Club: Music [previously (proficient in piano and guitar)]

Height: 163 cm (5'4")

Weight: 54.4 kg (120 lbs.)

Family: Uematsu Itchiro – Father (deceased)

Uematsu Chitose – Mother (deceased)

Contact Info

Address: 610 WFirst street Apt #: 314

Phone: Not available at this time

Email: None provided

I.C.O.E.: Dr. Kadawaki – Osaka General (family physician)

Notes

Souma Yuzuki – Assigned Therapist – Hakurei Sanitarium

Suicide watch – Level: yellow – Please contact Hakurei Sanitarium should suspicion arise

Medications – None – subject to change


	3. Stalker Sunday

**Chapter 2: Stalker Sunday**

The weeks fly by pleasingly fast, and before I know it it's already June. The first term of the year is already halfway done. I pack my things into my bag as Inutaisho-sensei dismisses us, and I'm the first person out the door. With Saturdays being half days at school, I step out of the front doors with the sun directly overhead. I am in the middle of taking off my blazer as a group of girls from another third year class run up and greet their friend.

"Yuki! We missed you in class today," one of the girls says to the tall male with short red hair, "What gives?"

"I was excused for a mandatory physical examination at my doctor's office," the male nervously replies, "Sorry, sorry to have you all worried!"

"We'll forgive you if you pay for fro-yo this time!" another girl cheerfully suggests.

They depart together all gushing about their day or what flavors they are going to try at the parlor. The group triggers a memory I had suppressed to play in my head, and I force my mind to repaint those images. The play back in my head goes like this: three girls hang out on the steps at the front of the school. All wearing leather jackets and denim shorts. Two of the girls are wearing feminine biker boots as one girl is wearing stilettos. They watch as a male student throws one of the front doors open and rushes out looking irritated.

"Hey, Kyo!" I call out to him, "How did your meeting with the dean go?"

"Same shit he says to me on a different day. You got another cigarette Yumi?" he asks Yumi and, holding the one she is already smoking between two fingers on her right hand, she digs through her purse for the metal case she keeps her poison in.

"You really need to stop bumming these off of me."

"Well if Takako would finish up with the job Sakura gave her I would get my share and buy my own pack," he says as he lights up.

"Let's walk guys. Before we all get written up for the nasty habit you two can't quit," I say as I walk down the steps, "Takako, how is that assignment going?"

"I met up with the guy this morning, but he didn't have all of the money. I told him he better get it before 2100 hours, or I'll sell to the next bidder."

"How much is the next bidder offering?"

"100,000 yen."

"Hm, that's not bad… Just a little under my asking price. Find out if he has it. If he does, just sell to him instead. I'm not negotiating with people who are all talk. You either have the money, or you're a waste of my time."

I am yanked from my reverie as the door behind me opens and hits me on the back causing me to fall forward. I let go of my blazer so that I can brace my fall with my hands. I grumble a profanity, which in English would start with the letter F, as I feel someone's hands wrap around my shoulders to help me up. To my displeasure I come face to face with Inutaisho-sensei who is standing so close to me that I can make out the pattern in each of his gold irises. He lets go of my shoulders and bends down to pick up my blazer while I take a couple steps back. After shaking off what little dust got on it he jerks it in my direction.

"It's frowned upon to not be in full uniform while you're still on school property," he scolds me, "If the weather is hot then dress in the summer ensemble."

I take my blazer from him using my thumb and index finger so that I cannot accidentally touch his hand. Just then, the door opens again pushing me forward. Again. I fall once more (again!), but Inutaisho-sensei catches me in his arms.

"Sorry!" the offending student says while Inutaisho-sensei sets me up on my own feet. The student bows and walks away.

"And don't linger in front of doors," he irritably scolds me again.

I bow my apology then adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder. With one final glance at the young instructor I walk away and head for the train station. _"Well, at least my mind-to-mouth filter is working,"_ I think to myself, grateful that I did not blurt out anything snippy, _"Wouldn't want another detention spending hours after school with that strange man."_ On the train I cannot stop replaying the recent interaction as I ride the half hour home. I wonder if no one showed him anything about personal space or keeping his hands to himself. Sure, the second time he touched me was to help me up, but even so offering his hand would suffice. Hand to hand contact is okay, but feeling his fingers through the thin cloth of my white button up shirt more than fulfilled the quota for appropriate bodily contact. I laugh to myself once my stop comes into view as the thought of pre-reformed Sakura grabs his hand and flips him over as punishment for laying a finger on her. _"If I wasn't different now. I would have."_

Finally in my apartment I head straight for the fridge to fix up lunch. _"Hmm… only enough kale and dressing for one salad. And… oh, wait. That's all I have in here."_ My fridge is poorly stocked. Okay, it is not stocked. I realize I forgot to do my weekly shopping after Saturday school before coming home. I look at the front door in debate of going grocery shopping today. "_I've come to far to turn back now."_ I check the freezer and the pantry. The nourishments I have in my apartment consist of 1 serving of kale, two spoons of dressing (yes, dressing counts), a protein bar, and 0.5L of strawberry cheesecake ice cream (in my book ice cream is a food group). I grab my wristlet and keys from my bag and turn towards the door. Just as I reach for the handle my amygdala activates the alarm that stuns me in place. _"I made it home safely today. If I leave now I fall out of protocol by not staying home once I'm here until the next day. If I fall out of routine the unthinkable can happen," _as if on auto-pilot, my subconscious takes hold, _"Am I ready for the unthinkable? No. What's tomorrow? Sunday. Sunday is my free day, right? I can do whatever I please. Go shopping on Sunday."_ I square my shoulders and turn around. Carefully, I place my keys and wristlet back into my bag and step back into my "kitchen". Stiffly, I pull out the protein bar and cut it into two pieces; one being twice the size as the other. I wrap the smaller piece back in the wrapper and set it back in the pantry. I retrieve the dressing and kale then cautiously divide the leaves into two groups of equal size. I pour exactly half of the dressing over one group and put the rest away with the second group of kale. I gather my lunch and have a seat at the kitchen island. I eat robotically as I stare out the panoramic windows and set out an agenda for tomorrow. By dinnertime the heavy weight on my chest is gone. Six hours (and half a liter of ice cream) was good enough to recover from the spike of fear I felt going up my spine from earlier.

I wake up mid Sunday morning feeling much better than last night and refreshed after sleeping in. I feel particularly giddy today, so I decide to dress up with the whole shebang. I start by donning a tube-top white dress with black polka dots and a flared skirt that ends just above my knees. I pin the hair on the left side of my face back, line and wing the top lid of my eyes with black liner, and paint on red lipstick. Next, I hook in dangly earrings of three pearls in varying sizes connected by white gold segments. I step into black sandals with an 8 cm heel and grab my wristlet, keys, and sunglasses then head out the door.

I grab a smoothie for breakfast at a nearby café and sit on the patio with my white-rimmed sunglasses on. I watch the people go by and make up stories for them in my head (if one stays near me for long enough) as I pretend to read a magazine. I get so engulfed in making up lives for these strangers that I do not realize two hours pass. I take off my sunglasses and briefly scan the area. I look down at the white-gold watch on my right wrist, one of the only things I had when I moved into my apartment, and become mildly surprised at the time. 1100 hours. In somewhat of haste I put my sunglasses back on, close the magazine, and get out of my seat to place it back on the rack. I toss my empty cup into a trashcan and walk off; ignoring the feeling of someone watching me. _"Perhaps they're creating a story for me, too."_

To my relief I make it to the theaters in time for the movie I plan on seeing. It has been out for a while, so the viewing room I am in is empty save for three couples in the mid-section and one family who occupy the coveted back row closest to the entrance. I pick a seat near the front along the wall and wait patiently for the movie to start. I get swept off my feet as I watch an orphan boy with magical powers go on adventure after adventure; between escaping the awful place that was his home when school was not in session and plotting and conspiring with his close friends to finally taking down an evil that plagued him during the school year. It is not until credits begin rolling do I realize I have tears rolling down my face. Without a doubt, they developed when the boy had to return to bitter reality until the next school year.

I quickly wipe the tears away with my hands when the feeling of being watched pesters me once more. I move to get off the theater chair as the lights turn up, but I decide to sit there for a bit longer and reflect on the movie. Once I think everyone left I start to get up. The sound of someone moving just a couple rows behind me freezes me in motion. I prepare my keys between my fisted fingers and listen as their footsteps hastily exit the theater. I jerk around when the door shuts and scan the room before briskly making my exit.

With caution I step out of the theater looking around for anyone suspicious. Everyone seems normal so, with discretion, I leave the theater and make my way to my next destination: The Museum of Art and Science. Today, the science department has its renewable resources exhibition at center stage. A sustainable future that allows us to keep our machineries has always fascinated me, so my second to last and longest stop of the day becomes this museum. I purchase my entrance pass at the booth and walk in with bounces in my steps. Like a child at Disneyland, my eyes are wide and the corners of my lips curl up. I head straight for the renewable energy section where the wind turbines, hydro turbines, and solar panels are being exhibited. I make my rounds closely examining and reading the footnotes of each project then find myself standing before a model of a city powered solely by renewable energy encased in a glass box. The tour guide of a group pushes a button on his remote and a panel of the ceiling opens up letting the sunshine down through a window. I watch in amazement as the model comes to life with toy cars beginning to move, model buildings lighting up, and toy trains start to move on the toy railways.

"Of course, the amount of solar energy absorbed by each panel is enough to power this model town. It would take more than just solar energy to power our entire city of Osaka at 100%," the tour guide announces to his group. I linger in front of the model city longer after the tour group leaves and watch the toy cars drive around the city.

"Pretty neat, huh?" I turn to my left and see a little boy, no older than seven, standing on his toes to look closer.

"Yeah, it's really cool," I humor him, "Do you know how the cars manage to keep from crashing into each other?"

"My mom says that guardian angels keep them from hitting each other, but the big man with the clipboard says that they are programmed to turn at different points. They also have magnets in them that pushes them away form each other."

"Guardian angels, programming, and magnets, huh? You know you're a really smart kid," I swallow back tears and smile down to him.

"And you're a really pretty lady! Want to be my new babysitter?" he looks up at me with a toothless smile, "Oh, why do you look so sad?"

"I'm not sad. I'm smiling."

"So? Even if your mouth is smiling you can still feel sadness. I see it in your eyes. Is it because you're too old to be my girlfriend?"

"Hahaha! Okay, buddy. You caught me."

"See? I can make you not sad anymore. Too bad you're too old."

"Momiji! Stop bothering the young lady. We have to leave now because the place closes in ten minutes!" an older woman, possibly his mom, calls out to him.

"Bye, Miss! I hope that you find a reason to smile more!"

I wave goodbye as the little boy runs off to his mother, and they disappear down some stairs. _"Ten minutes left…"_ I hurry down the hall so that I can see one last section before I go. The place is completely empty save for the janitor. I arrive at my target point; an exhibit on using steam vents around Mt. Fuji to supply energy to nearby towns. There have been many speculations on this proposal; both good and bad. I bend forward to take a look at eye level over the scale model of what the area would look like should this project come to life. Just as I place my hand on my knees I hear a recording of a voice talking about the exhibit just a few panels away from me.

"Hello? Is someone there?" I call out knowing full well that those recordings are motion activated. No one answers me, but I swear I can make out the shadow of someone hiding behind the wooden panel separating the sections. _"This is getting beyond creepy,"_ I think to myself. I ready my keys between my fisted fingers and hurry towards the main entrance of the museum. I listen carefully to my surroundings; looking behind myself every now and then.

Stepping into the late afternoon sun, I glance at my watch and put my sunglasses back on. It is 1700 hours, time for me to shop for groceries then head home. I board a bus back to my neighborhood and get off at the station in front of my grocery store. My hands pick up a shopping basket, and I make my way around the store collecting the things I'll need for the next few days like bags of salad, some apples, nuts, and crackers. _"Almost done. Just need to grab the dressing then I can go home." _I stride to the cooler with all of the organic dressings and scan the shelves for the one I want. They're out. I tentatively reach out and grab two bottles of my runner up choices (balsamic and Italian) to compare them.

"For the salad mix you are getting, I would go with the balsamic dressing," I smooth voice next to me says.

I look in the person's direction, and the smile on my face fades once my eyes fall on Inutaisho-sensei. _"There he goes again. Telling me what to do and how to live my life."_ I defiantly put the bottle of balsamic back, gazing at him indignantly, as I turn and walk away. I reach out and grab a four pack of yogurt without stopping on my way to the checkout stands. _"What was he doing in my grocery store?! He didn't even look like he was shopping!"_ I freak out in my mind, but remain calm on the surface as I walk the two blocks to my apartment building. The sun is setting as I open the door to my home, and it is almost completely dark out once I finish putting away the groceries and eating dinner. I fall asleep on my couch watching a foreign movie about two girls in junior high who misbehave, sell drugs, sneak out at night, and fall apart piece by piece.


	4. A Trigger

**Chapter 3: A Trigger**

It is career week at school. Each day during homeroom someone with a different occupation comes in to talk about their job and how they got there. On Monday a pediatrician came in, and on Tuesday we listened to an accountant present his entire life down to the decimal. We never know who is going to come in, so I was in awe when Yuzuki-sama (my therapist) walks into the classroom.

"Class, please welcome Hibiya Yuzuki; a therapist at Hakurei Sanitarium," Inutaisho-sensei relays information from an email to us as he sits at his desk.

My body perks up, and my eyes grow wide as she stands in position at the front of the class. We all rise and bow. After we have all taken our seats she begins to talk about life working at the sanitarium. To my relief she leaves no hint that we know each other either by letting her eyes linger on me or by calling my name. She is charismatic and captures the interest of a lot of the students who are either captivated by her beauty or genuinely interested in her work. Many ask her a few questions ranging from serious ones to "is the Joker there?" to which she laughs whole-heartedly and denies he is. From my corner in the classroom I can see all the guys swoon over her as the girls join in with her contagious laugh.

"Does anyone have anymore questions?" she asks after regaining herself.

"I do!" I hear Minami's ear-jarring voice come from the back, "So, I heard that you are Uematsu's therapist. What's it like working for a lost cause?"

I turn in my seat, trying to mask the uncomfortable shift, and lock eyes with Minami. "And who told you that, kohai?" I ask her with aspartame dripping from my words.

"Why should I tell you? So that you can snap on them and get sent back to the loony bin?" she responds with a smirk, "You probably miss it there… The one place you're considered normal."

I stare at her blankly as all eyes pile on me in anticipation of what my next move will be. _"Control yourself… You're reformed. Remember? Last chance. Don't blow it,"_ I remind myself before I can act out images of Yankii Sakura beating her senseless with a chair. "No, I was just curious," I answer with false offense and forced serenity. Yuzuki-sama moves to silence Minami, but I hold out my hand letting her know I can handle it. She watches me curiously.

"You know that medical records are strictly confidential and that right of the patients is protected by law," I begin, "leaking such information can force you to face a large fine and possibly even time in prison."

"Heh, so you admit that you're a patient at Hakurei Sanitarium?" she boldly responds.

"I never admitted I was," I answer her while trying to ignore the anger rising within me, "I'm just telling you to cut the stupidity now, before you face the consequences. Stupidity being going public with anyone's personal medical history."

"Well, suppose you aren't a patient at the loony bin. What consequences could I possibly face under false accusations?" she smugly replies.

"You can end up with Uematsu-chan as your boss in your future career," Yuzuki-sama replies with a smile and her finger pointing up. Obviously, she is alluding to karma.

"As if she'd ever be great enough to be in charge of me," Minami laughs.

"Yes, and I take offense to that, Yuzuki-sama," I say turning to look at her in the eyes, "You see, I have far greater ambitions in life than to become the owner of a strip club." Several of my fellow classmates erupt in laughter, Yuzuki-sama covers her mouth to stifle a giggle, and Inutaisho-sensei looks down before I can gauge his reaction.

"You can't say stuff like that!" Minami whines as she looks around the classroom. "_I just hit a nerve,"_ I smile to myself.

"I just did, sweetheart," I say aloud; pleased with myself.

The rest of the day goes by fast, and to my pleasure Minami keeps her mouth shut. However, I can still feel her and Motoko burning holes into my back with glares. By Friday in sixth period, we receive our grades from the midterms we all took the previous week along with our progress reports. To my joy I have managed to receive all 5's in nearly all of my classes. All but one: Japanese. The subject I was once strongest in; I am now nearly failing. I close my eyes and inwardly curse the creep standing in front of the class. "_He has to be failing me on purpose unless he's calculating my behavior in this grade,"_ I think as I open my eyes.

"By the unsatisfactory look on some of your faces, I suggest that you study harder and do whatever extra credit is offered," Inutaisho-sensei says, "If not then look forward to seeing me and your other teachers in summer school." My stomach lurches at the thought of spending time in his summer school class when I could be free of him for a month. _"I have to talk to him after class. There's no way I could be failing and no way I'm going to spend summer with him."_ Talking to him is not something I want to do, but it is something that I need to do. As I nervously wait for the end of the day, I repeat in my head that it will be worth it, to not spend an extra month in his class, in the end.

It takes only half an hour for us all to finish the cleaning duties. I look around the room unsatisfied with how dirty it is, but let it go. I grab my things and head to the faculty lounge. I decide to seek him out soon so that I may get that out of the way faster without building up more anxiety. The door to the faculty lounge is ajar, and I can hear two voices as I step closer.

"Alright, Sesshomaru-kun, if you insist on not going this time I won't force you. However, you won't get off lucky next time!" I hear a deep and rather robust voice say. The door opens wide and out walks Motosuwa-sensei, my history teacher. "Ah, Uematsu-chan! What are you still doing here? My son says that you haven't come to Music Club since school started and that you always are the first one to leave class," he questions my presence.

"I need to ask Inutaisho-sensei something," I answer ignoring the mention of Music Club. I focus on the tall, masculine figure with long silver hair behind Motosuwa-sensei who regards me with interest. Motosuwa-sensei smiles and nods at me before saying goodbye and walking off. I slowly step into the lounge taking a quick scan of the room. It is just the two of us. I square my shoulders and begin, "I just want to know how I'm failing your class," I say getting right to my point.

"You haven't turned in any of the work I assigned," he calmly responds with his hands on his briefcase, "I see you working on them in class, but they never make it to me."

His response leaves me bewildered, "But I have turned everything in," I cannot come up with another explanation.

He turns his head to each side and says sternly, "No, you have not. Otherwise I would have something to grade off of."

"Then you must have misplaced all my work."

"Highly unlikely, but I will check with Motoko who has been helping me organize everyone's assignments during the lunch break."

Realization hits me, and there's no doubt that I am not jumping to conclusions. "You have Motoko, Minami's best friend, assisting you?"

"I know that her close companion has it in for you, but I am giving her more credit than to stoop low enough to sabotage your grade in my class and risk being expelled."

"Oh, and is she sucking your dick between filing papers?!" I shriek then turn to storm out the door. _"Pulling shit like this is fighting dirty! That bitch! Too much of a coward to face me head on, so she has to attack me at a blind spot!" _I fume to myself as I stomp down the hallways to the Newspaper Club, _"I am going to make her tell me what happened to my assignments, and after she does I'm going to drag her by the hair to tell Jackass-sensei in person!"_

I reach the door to the classroom where her club meets and grab the handle. Not realizing that it is a western style door instead of a traditional one (like most of the doors in the school), I grow more pissed when it doesn't _slide _open. Fueled by anger, I kick the door, next to the handle, as hard as I can. It flies open, and I hear girly screams as I step in ignoring the pain in my ankle.

"Motoko, what the hell did you do with my assignments for Jackass-sensei's class and tell me quick before I kick your teeth in!" I seethe as I make my way to where the Dreadful Duo sits with Motoko already sinking behind Minami, "And don't hide behind your loud-mouthed friend, you coward!"

"S-s-stop yelling at her! She doesn't kn-know what you're talking about!" Minami shakily says to me after glancing behind me.

"Stay out of this!" I yell at Minami, "Motoko, you better tell me because my left leg wants to kick something as hard as my right leg got to kick that damned door!"

Motoko's eyes look behind me then back to mine, "I honestly don't know what you are talking about!"

"That's it," I say, and just before I can lunge at her I feel someone's arms hold me back.

"Uematsu-chan! Calm down. This is incredibly not like you!"

I freeze right there at the familiar voice of my favorite teacher since high school began. I look behind me and there is Shimizu-sensei whose eyes regard me with concern. Not reproach.

"Everyone, go home. Not a word is to be uttered. Just quietly leave this classroom," she says to everyone, but me.

I squeeze my eyes shut as they all exit the room. I was not prepared to come in contact with Shimizu-sensei. Not one bit. In flashbacks, I remember being in Shimizu-sensei's class. Those memories I cannot re-forge to resemble the past life I made up. Against my will, the flashbacks of every eventful moment in her class continue to flow out from a part of my mind that I had locked away. Flashbacks of her monitoring Music Club also find its way into the mix. Fear creeps into me as I realize what memory is about to play next. "You have to let me go. Now," I holler and duck under her protective arms, and bolt out the door; I pass Inutaisho-sensei who saw everything happen.

After the long commute I finally burst into the safety of my apartment. I fall to the floor once I get in and kick the door shut before the tears start to fall. I curl into a ball and wrap my arms around my body tightly as I futilely attempt to keep it all inside. The memories come out anyways. How I went from joyfully writing a story to holding back tears on the ride to the hospital. How lost I became afterwards. They flowed out repeatedly as I clutched my body tighter to force them into the back of my head where I had hid them. Before I knew it I was convulsing. With all the strength I could muster I crawled to the bathroom and allowed my insides to be released into the bowl. I do not know when it finally happened, but eventually I blacked out on the bathroom floor.

My eyes open the following morning when I hear someone knock on my door. I ignore each try, and whoever it is just opens the door. I realize I did not lock it last night, and I lift my head to look at the intruder. Yuzuki-sama stands at the entrance to my bathroom with worry in her eyes. She helps me up and walks me to my couch. After lying me down on the soft cushions, she runs to the bathroom and returns with a damp hand towel to wipe my face with. I find comfort in her gentle touch as she quietly wipes the dried up tears away.

"So, where should we begin," she starts, "You know why I'm here, right?"

I nod my answer and wait for her to continue.

"I received a call from your homeroom teacher saying you didn't show up to school today," she says anyway. I vaguely feel shock that I missed school, but it passes. "He told me you had an episode yesterday. Do you want to talk about that?"

"I remembered… everything," I slowly begin. Yuzuki-sama listens to me patiently and with care in her eyes even though she has heard this ramble multiple times. Using the damp towel, I wipe away the new streams on my face as I finish and look up at her.

"One day, Sakura-chan, you will be able to face these memories, but it is obviously not today. However, you seem to be able to hold it all together as you talk to me about them. Would you like to go back to routine sessions until you can live your real life and not your fabricated one?"

She knows that I made up a new reality to cover up the one I was given. She knows that by pretending to live a different life I can function normally without breaking into pieces. It is the only way I know how to cope with all the pain and fear inside me.

"Perhaps you need to find a way to let out your emotions in a healthy manner. Perhaps you should join a club at school? Release your stress through sports or express your feelings with art."

"I have been expressing myself, sensei," I come clean, "Japanese has always been my favorite subject because I can express myself through my writing. I put a piece of myself in all of the assignments he gave out, and someone has them. Someone on the other side has pieces of me."

"Is that why you acted the way you did? It's exceptionally more personal than just hiding any other person's homework."

"Yes."

"Well, I will see what I can do about tracking down your work," she says to me with a positive smile, "Since tomorrow is Sunday, I expect you to rest up and be back at school on Monday! Doctor's orders."

I smile back to her and thank her for seeing me. Then, I walk her to the door and let her out. I go to lie down on my bed after I turn both locks on the door. I don't leave my bed for the rest of the day. On Monday I call the school from the phone in the lobby. I let the secretary know that due to illness I will not be present. I do the same for Tuesday, and I do the same for Wednesday. I actually do the same for every day of the week. I know that if I call them, they will not worry and send the white coats after me again.

"Yes, it's a terrible flu, but I am beginning to feel a little better," I say into the phone trying to sound sick, "I will return on Monday if I continue to recover at this pace." I hang up and head back to my apartment. I fall asleep on my couch watching my favorite movie about two girls with the same name who become friends even though they are polar opposites.

It is the middle of the afternoon when I hear someone knocking on my door. _"Uh-oh, she found out I didn't go to school at all this week,"_ I think to myself as I rise from the couch. I pull on my sheer robe with lace trim as I make my way to the door and brace myself for Yuzuki-sama's wrath.

"Yuzuki-sama, before you start yelling at me I swear…." My voice trails off when my eyes fall on Inutaisho-sensei after I swing the door open all the way.

He glances up and down at me before averting his gaze and clearing his throat, "I have several things I need to give to you, and I also need to explain a few things. Perhaps you should change into something decent before I come in."

Suddenly realizing that I am only wearing a t-shirt, panties, and a _sheer_ thigh length robe I slam the door shut and run to my dresser. Mortified, I tug on a pair of jeans and maneuver my way into a bra. Yuzuki-sama has been the only one to ever come to my apartment. He was the last person I would have ever expected. _"Mental note: from now on check the peep-hole before answering the door!"_ I scream in my head as I take a deep breath before letting Inutaisho-sensei back in. His expression shows no sign of embarrassment or discomfort as I pull out a chair for him at my kitchen island.

"Would you like hot tea?" I ask him avoiding eye contact by filling the kettle with water from a pitcher.

"No thanks," he says as he lays his briefcase on the counter and takes a seat. At his refusal, I set the kettle down on the warmer without turning it on.

"So what do you have for me?" I ask peaking up at him from under my eyelashes.

There's a trace of amusement on his face as he answers, "I have assignments from all of your classes. None of the students wanted to deliver these to you after hearing about how you kicked the door of a classroom down and threatened Motoko. I am also going to let you know that I have adjusted your grade in the grade book. After you left on Friday, I spoke with your old teacher who insisted we investigate your accusations. We searched Motoko's locker and found your most recent assignments from my class. Last Saturday we phoned her house. Her mom brought the rest of your assignments to a meeting with the principal after school that day. She found them in Motoko's room." I feel relief wash over me, and a snide comment building up. Before I can say anything he continues speaking, "Motoko and Minami have been suspended for the rest of the term. With no history of bad behavior, the principal let them off easy. They will make up for the missed days at summer school. School officials speculate that your sudden illness is brought on by exhaustion from their constant bullying. But here you are, and you look fine." He finishes and looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you angry that I got your fan club kicked out for the rest of the term?" I ask defensively, "Are you here so that you can prove to the principal that I've been faking sick to get out of going to school so you can get back at me? Surely, those assignments could have waited. I told the secretary that I would come back on Monday."

He narrows his eyes at me, but I do not back down under his piercing gaze. It's a stalemate as we both glare at the other and say nothing. _"This is a waste of my time,"_ I think to myself before rolling my eyes and stepping forward to pick up one of the assignments laid out before me. I read through the physics worksheet and try my hardest to ignore the pair of gold eyes observing me. I find myself focusing so hard on ignoring him that eventually I stop reading and have to mindlessly flip through the pages to keep up the façade. Just as I finish looking through the last page I hear him get up from the chair. He yanks the packet from my fingers. I look at him wide-eyed but cannot figure out what he is thinking through his emotionless face. Next, he grabs my arm and yanks me into an embrace wrapping an arm around my waist and the other around my upper back. My face is buried in his chest as I breathe in his cologne (that smells like _Chrome_ by Azzaro). I do not know what to do at this point, and this hug feels like more than just a friendly one because he squeezes me tighter when I struggle against him.

"If Minami and Motoko were not my students, I would care less about them," He says with his head resting on mine, "I was concerned about you."


	5. Interactions

**Chapter 4: Interactions**

I stand frozen in the middle of my kitchen; caught off guard by his words and still in his arms. Finally, I feel his grip around me slack, and with my hands on his chest I carefully push him away. We stare at each other, and I try to make out what he is thinking or feeling; but his face is bare. At this moment I am bewildered. I play through the school days in homeroom and Japanese class in double time, and analyze our interactions with each other. I did not think he noticed me at all. Even when I would raise my hand to answer a question or volunteer to read when no one else would, he would not look at me as he called on me. He would avert his gaze back to the text and utter my name. _"This is more than I can process at the moment. I'm over thinking things,"_ I think to myself.

"Inutaisho-sensei, it's your first year teaching, right? You don't have to worry about losing a student in your first year. I would never become weak enough to take my own life," I say sitting down at the kitchen island and grabbing another assignment to look over, "Sensei, I have a history, but that doesn't make me more vulnerable than the rest of the students," I begin as I imagine a difficult life on the streets, "I got through it and came out stronger. I'll have my moments, but I'm only human; humans have their moments. You can actually stop being worried for me all together because no matter how hard it gets I will push through."

"You're writing suggests otherwise," he says taking a seat next to me, "I read everyone of your assignments for my class, some I read a couple times, and you have a naturally engaging way with words. However, most of your work conveys much fear, pain, and sadness."

I do not have an explanation I want to give to him, so I shrug, "It's just writing. Completely imaginative."

"Am I supposed to believe that you're imagining what it feels to be desolate and panicked? Surely, you couldn't describe what it's like unless you've felt it; or even are feeling it with how vividly you explain things."

"If you focus hard enough, you can imagine many different things. If you focus beyond that you can even believe and become a part of what you're imagining," I answer and turn away from the papers in my hand to look at him. He looks to be deep in thought, so I ask, "Are you trying it out for yourself, sensei?"

His gaze meets mine. Then he says, "No, I'm deciding weather I should order a session with your therapist or chalk it up as you're just another teenage girl stuck in a daydream. Even if it is the latter, I should be concerned that, unlike the other girls in class who are writing love poems and stories about animals, you're writing about loss, hopelessness, and being afraid."

_"And laugh it off,"_ I think and allow myself to crack up. He looks at me briefly wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"What's so funny?" he asks me narrowing eyes, "I hardly think this is a subject to be laughing about."

"Nothing! Nothing, this is just the most I have ever heard you talk. In class you hardly even read from the text; always calling on a student to read."

"I, obviously, know how to read and no longer need the practice. I wish I could say the same for some of the students who stall at simple words and keep losing their place."

"It is shameful. We're at Shikon Academy and in the top class. If some of us can't read, what does that say about our school?"

After Inutaisho-sensei finishes passing messages to me about the assignments from all of my instructors, he repacks his suitcase and stands to leave. I open the door to let him out and watch him walk down the hall to the stairwell. I watch as silver hair disappears below the steps before I walk back into my apartment and shut the door. I bring all of the papers to my desk in the corner and begin working. It is not until midnight do I finally work out the last problem on my calculus homework. I organize the papers by subject and place them in order by class before neatly stacking them at the center of my desk. My bed is more than welcoming to my tired body, but my heavy eyes remain open as the day replays in my head from start to finish. Each time I see his silver hair fade below the steps I see him back in my doorway, and the memory plays again.

On Monday I find myself dragging through the day. Both Saturday and Sunday night I barely slept, but luckily the day is easy with assignments being reviewed and turned in. By sixth period all of the sleep I missed start to catch up with me. It is not until I feel someone gently shake me awake do I realize I slept through the entire class and cleaning duties. Inutaisho-sensei stands above me with the same blank stare looking back at me. I lift my body from my desk and look out the window. The sun is setting, and my mouth drops when I glance down at my watch. 1900 hours. School has been over for the day for four hours, and I have been sleeping here since sixth period! I start to panic gathering my stuff so we can leave as soon as possible.

"What happened? I'm so sorry, sensei! You can give me detention if you want…" I frantically ramble as he watches me struggle with jamming my things into my bag.

"You fell asleep during class. After spending the first half hour watching you struggle to keep yourself awake, I decided to just let you sleep. I didn't know you would nap for that long, or sleep through the clamor of the students cleaning," he finishes as I stand up with the strap of my bag around my fingers.

"I'm so sorry."

"I wonder if you would still be asleep on your desk tomorrow during homeroom if I didn't decide to wake you up," he teases and with a smirk.

I follow him out of the classroom and to the front of the school. He holds one of the double doors open for me after stepping out himself.

"How long does it usually take for you to make it home?" he asks as I pass him.

"About forty-five minutes," I reply and he looks into the distance.

"It's getting dark out, and you still look like you're going to fall asleep," he turns his gaze back to me, "come with me. I will drive you home."

"Inutaisho-sensei, thank you, but it's alright. I can make it home safely."

"Uematsu, you might fall asleep on the train and get lost or worse. Right now you're not alert, and you're an easy target," he says sternly, "I will drive you home."

Inutaisho-sensei gives me a look that dares me to defy him, and I submit. Begrudgingly, I follow him to his car; a sleek, black Subaru Legacy with all of the bells and whistles. It is from the most recent lineup, too. He opens the passenger side door for me, and I get in. The black leather is warm against my skin as he ignites the engine and pulls out of the parking lot. I feel hidden within the cabin of his car as the windows sport limousine tints making the inside dark save for the instrument lights. He drives onto the freeway and heads west to the other side of town. The car is immaculate, so I keep my hands folded on my lap to keep from touching anything with fear of leaving even a fingerprint. I look out the window as we pass the buildings in downtown Osaka and some cars. Even though he follows the speed limit, I feel like we are driving faster than everyone else.

In about twenty minutes we pull up in front of my apartment building. I carefully take off my seatbelt, grab my bag, and reach for the handle.

"Make sure to get enough sleep tonight. I can't let a second accident slide," he says to me before my fingers can touch the handle.

I turn to him and say, "Thank you, sensei, for giving me a ride home. I hope you won't have too far until you reach your place."

"I live in the neighborhood," my jaw drops at his answer. He places two fingers beneath my chin and closes my mouth for me. Then he brushes my hair behind my ear with the same fingers. "Get some rest, Uematsu."

I step into my apartment focused on the tingling feeling his fingers left on my chin and ear. _"What a strange gesture from a teacher,"_ I muse to myself. I go about my evening routine and wonder if getting a ride home from Inutaisho-sensei was the unexpected I was to face for falling out of routine. When everything is done I put on a movie and curl up on my couch. Secretly, I defy his orders to get some rest, but then I wonder if he can see me from wherever he lives. He said he lives in this neighborhood, so self-consciously I turn off the lamp next to me to darken the room. I look out my panoramic windows at the buildings nearby, and when I see no one looking out their windows I brush off my paranoia. I shut off the T.V. and climb into my bed. I decide to just go to sleep so I can avoid an incident of falling asleep tomorrow at school.

I close the door to my locker after switching shoes and head to homeroom._ "I live in the neighborhood… Get some rest, Uematsu."_ I think about last night and finding out we live near the other. Now his presence at my grocery store makes sense. I sit down in my desk and wait for class to start while wondering if we will cross paths more outside of school. On one side, I hope we do not because whenever we do things get… strange. I evaluate his embrace the other night; and last night when he touched my chin and brushed my hair behind my ear. He acts less like a teacher with me outside of class. If I new anyone well enough in this classroom, I would ask them if he treats them the same. On the other side, I find our interactions with each other outside of the classroom intriguing. It also gives me more chances to investigate this mysterious man and defy him without being reprimanded like a delinquent student. I smile when my mind goes over the two of us in my kitchen: glaring him down (an act that would have earned me detention), hearing him talk more than usual, and grumbling his opinion about his students.

I vaguely pay attention to the morning announcements in homeroom, try my hardest to keep focus during my first couple classes, get knocked out in P.E. by a volleyball I was not paying attention to, spend fifth period in the nurses office, and now I sit in sixth period holding an icepack to my head.

"Don't worry about cleaning duties today, class. Uematsu will be staying after to take care of it," suddenly my headache is gone and the smell of _Chrome_ fills my nose. I look up and Inutaisho-sensei is standing before me.

"Am I in trouble for having a headache in your class?"

"For falling asleep in class yesterday. You said you would serve detention," he smirks at me and walks away.

"That's cool. Make the girl with the concussion do all the work," I exaggerate.

"You can stay tomorrow as well."

The class erupts in cheers for getting out of cleaning duty for two days straight. I let my head fall on my desk in exasperation then grumpily plop on my ice pack.

"Thanks for cleaning the class for us, Uematsu-senpai!"

"Keep up with irritating, sensei! I never want to clean again."

"Yes! Keep at it, senpai!"

They all thank me as they step out of the room. Buttering me up like toast by calling me senpai. Once they're all out I start by lifting the chairs on to the desks. Then I grab the supplies from the closet and get to work. Surprisingly, to my disappointment the class is not all that dirty. I finish after only an hour, and no commentary from the stoic teacher sitting at the desk. I put the supplies away and look around the room to see if there is anything else I can do to hang around longer. I walk to the art supplies and decide to organize them by tools and into color-wheel order. Still no small talk. Next, I straighten out the desks to make them align perfectly with the lines between the tiles. Not a single word. Then I go to the bookshelf and put the books in order by genre, subject, and author.

"Are you purposely trying to keep us here late, Uematsu?

_"Finally!"_ I cheer to myself before retracting all emotion and turning around.

"No, sensei. I just thought, since the actual cleaning didn't take me long, I would do some extra work," I innocently bat my eyelashes.

"Very well. You are excused now, Uematsu."

_"That's it?! Grrrr…."_ I inwardly growl my disappointment, but calmly grab my things and exit the classroom.

The next day in detention is nearly the same as yesterday, except this time I did not bother to needlessly organize the desks, art supplies, and books. First of all, I did that yesterday, and no one really messed them up. Second of all, I want to get out of here. Unfortunately, that did not go unnoticed.

"I'm surprised you are not going to touch the books. You seemed to cringe when that boy placed one in the incorrect spot."

"Well, if they're just going to mess it up again, what's the point?" I try to be nonchalant as I remember Haru-kun carelessly sticking a book about martial arts into the shelf with all fictitious works. I sling the strap of my bag over my shoulder, and force myself to not look back at the bookshelf.

"If there is nothing else you would like to do then you are excused," he says to me with a smirk.

"Thank you, sensei. I will be going now," I bite out and slowly step to the door.

"I suppose that book will have to remain in the wrong spot until someone decides to move it," he sighs and I freeze letting out a small wince.

"Suppose someone needs to read it. What if they can't find it because it's misplaced?" he is doing this on purpose.

"Tough luck," I force out and trudge to the door. I finally step through and slide the door shut.

"Suppose that book ends up staying there for the rest of the term. Maybe, for the rest of the year," I hear him say through the door, and I can't take it anymore.

I quickly slide the door open and rush back into the classroom. I nearly run to the bookshelf, which is to the left of the chalkboard behind Inutaisho-sensei's desk. I frantically look in the fiction section I created for the book Haru-kun read. I finally find it and place it back into its rightful spot. I let out a relieved sigh that is met with a light chuckle coming from the man sitting at the desk. I glare at him from the corner of my eye as he stands from his desk. He steps close enough to me where I can smell his cologne, and suddenly his fingers are running through my hair.

"Uematsu, you never cease to amuse me."

* * *

Holler!

We are now four chapters in and only 50 more views until we reach 100. Thank you everyone! I want to know what you all think... Some feed back (reviews or private messages) are never expected, but always appreciated!


	6. Gotta Get You Alone

**Chapter 5: Gotta Get You Alone**

_"…You never cease to amuse me…"_ I roll his words from earlier around in my head as I pick up groceries on autopilot. I barely even notice that I have my fingers entwined with the lock of hair he touched. Back at my apartment I follow my routine of dinner, homework, shower, and rest after I put away the groceries. In bed I continue to roll his words around in my head and try to hold back the smile that forms on my face.

The week comes to a close like any other week, but Inutaisho-sensei ignores me all together. He goes far; to the point where I would volunteer to read or answer a question but he will call on someone else who does not have their hand raised. To my surprise, his new attitude towards me stings a little bit, and I am left wondering what is going through his mind. I leave it at that and accept it for what it is. His actions towards me are inappropriate, and only the Sakura I imagined myself to be in the past would feed into it.

I take a deep breath while my mind slips deeper into my invented life. My memories go back as I imagine trysts with older men. No real interests there. Just need to get work done and, through them, I had to do it. My reverie builds upon itself as I conjure a meeting with a teacher. This teacher was coming on to me, so I thought to use it to my advantage. Teasing and testing: giving him tastes of what he wants in exchange for adjusting my grades and marking me present when I would ditch. Eventually he grew tired of my games, and furious that I would not go all the way. He exposed me, and played the part of a pitiful victim so well that the council leaned in his favor. My reputation did not help either. The school was more than happy to be rid of a bad apple.

"Uematsu will be staying after sixth period for detention," the voice of Nekoi-sensei, my English teacher, fishes me out of my playback. He rights my name on the board and turns to me, "for not paying attention and ignoring me as I called you three times."

I was not upset about receiving detention. In fact, I was more than willing to stay after school, alone, with Inutaisho-sensei. He strides in at the start of sixth period. He looks at my name on the board, and I catch a trace of irritation and some other emotion before he reverts back to a calm demeanor. He must be in a bad mood as I witness him giving detention to another student soon after for the most trivial reason. I inwardly grumble as the rest of the class leaves at the end of the day except for Haru-kun who will be in detention with me. I pull out the cleaning supplies and get to work. I find myself irritated for two reasons: One, if Haru-kun were not here I would be alone with Inutaisho-sensei. Then I could… Well, I do not know what I would do. He is just intriguing when no one else is around. Two, Haru-kun is lazily doing the duties, and his cleaning is not up to standards.

"Damn, sensei. Giving me detention just for not having my shirt buttoned all the way," Haru curses under his breath.

I steal a glance at our teacher who is grading papers at his desk seemingly ignoring our existence. I focus back on the cleaning, and gripe at Haru for missing spots here and there. Eventually I just make him stand to the side while I finish. He does not complain, and when I am done he bolts out the door. I grab my things at a normal pace and slowly head to the door in hopes that Inutaisho-sensei will say something to me. Just as I reach the doorframe I peak behind me. He is quietly focused on a paper he is grading, but I can see a small smile on his face.

The following week I am doing my best to be the worse student in the class. Well, just the last two classes of the day. I found out that the teachers in my morning classes actually have me spend detention with them during the lunch hour. My efforts are fruitless. I find that Inutaisho-sensei would actually let all my actions slide with a warning or pretend he did not see anything. If Nekoi-sensei would sign me up for detention, Inutaisho-sensei would immediately give detention to the first poor kid who did something (even remotely) wrong. _"He's really trying to avoid being alone with me,"_ I think to myself as I get off the train at the end of the day. I finally picked up on this, and I resolve to cut the misbehavior. _"All of my efforts have been in vain, and I'm honestly getting tired of cleaning up the classroom while the poor kid of the day watches."_

I plop onto my bed and mentally scratch out Plan A. Rolling on to my back; I let out an exasperated sigh. _"I give up… And I've more than filled my detention quota for the term. Anymore and I'll get sent to the principal."_ I grab one of my pillows to cover my face, and I close my eyes. Soon, my body relaxes, and my subconscious floats away.

_"Dream or flashback?"_ I wonder to myself as images of the Sunday I visited the theater and museum surrounds me. Yet, contrary to what I remember, the visions play in reverse. I start off at the grocery store with Inutaisho-sensei suggesting I buy the balsamic dressing. Rather than glare at him and put it away, my actions are more pleasant as I agree then invite him to come to the museum with me. We stroll together side by side and glance at the exhibits every now and then. He listens intently to me, with a rare smile, as I go on about the different displays and why there needs to be more funding for those projects. Next, we're about to say our goodbyes at the front of the museum when he asks me where I am going next. I tell him the theater and ask if he would like to join. We sit in the dark room next to each other, and we watch the pictures move in front of us. Like in reality, I feel tears pour out of my eyes at the end of the movie. This time it is different as I feel someone else's fingers wipe them away. I turn to see Inutaisho-sensei looking at me with emotions I cannot fathom. Whatever I see in his eyes beguile me as his palm cups my cheek and he slowly begins to lean in…

I jolt up knocking a pillow off of my bed and shock coursing through my veins. _"Did I really just dream that?"_ I blush, and look around my apartment wide-eyed. I feel somewhat guilty, like a person who is doing something wrong but has no desire to stop. _"It's because of him. He's been messing with my head,"_ I try to convince myself, _"But I have to find out for sure. I have to find out if I am over thinking things or imagining things."_

July is here, and everyone is getting excited for the end of the term and summer break. We just have to get through finals. Everyone has formed into study groups, and I prepare to study by myself when one of the girls asks me to join her group. With no excuse not to, I comply.

"Inutaisho-sensei is so strict!" one of the girls says.

"I know! If it weren't for his good looks I would dread his class at full capacity!" says another girl.

"He looks good until those piercing eyes are on you! I can never hold my own under that scary gaze," girl number one says.

The girls in my group go on about Inutaisho-sensei. Back and forth from "he's so charming" to "he's so scary". I find myself relieved when it becomes evident that none of the girls have had the same interactions with him that I have had. _"So I can cross over thinking things off my list."_ Now I know he does not interact the same way with the rest of the girls. I just need to know if I imagined it all now.

"You ask him!"

"No, you ask him!"

"Uematsu-senpai, will you ask sensei if reading comprehension is going to be a big part on the final exam?"

"Please? You seem to be the least intimidated by him."

"Sure," I say hiding my willingness to do it (my extreme willingness to do it).

I get up and walk over to his desk where he is reading a book from our class's collection.

"Inutaisho-sensei, I have a question."

He looks up from his book, "What is it, Uematsu?"

"The girls in my group are wondering if reading comprehension will account for a large part of the final."

"Yes, it will," he says curtly before looking back at the pages in his book.

"Thank you, sensei," I say with a little irritation rising within me, "And sensei?"

He looks back up at me without moving his head.

"Remember to place that book in the correct section when you're done reading it," I say to him as I walk away.

"Uematsu-senpai, are you trying to get into trouble?" girl number one asks me.

"He's glaring daggers at you right now!" girl number two says trying to hide behind her book.

"He doesn't scare me. Let him glare all he wants," I say loud enough for him to hear.

The clock strikes three and Inutaisho-sensei dismisses us.

"Uematsu, I would like to have a word with you," he says from his desk.

I ignore the ooh's uttered from the students and smile when girl number one wishes me luck. Girl number two looks at me sadly as she walks out of the classroom.

"Your behavior has been below par as of late," he says stepping out from behind his desk and striding towards mine. He leans on the desk next to me and folds his arms. I peak up at him through my lashes. His gaze pierces right through me.

"What do you mean?" I ask innocently.

"I mean that you have been acting out lately. And I have observed that there seems to be a method to your behavior," he says emotionless, "do I need to call your therapist?"

"That's not necessary, sensei."

"If it isn't necessary then I have to assume you are getting yourself into trouble on purpose," he says with a smirk. I look back down at my bag to hide my warming cheeks. _"Caught!"_

"It is neither. I've just had a bad month. That's all," I say trying to look bored.

"You do well to not let that control your behavior. Anymore steps out of line and I will have to send you to the principal, and you know how well he tolerates poor behavior."

I look up into his eyes, and he is serious. This is not going the way I would have hoped. _"Perhaps I was imagining everything."_ I take a deep breath and say to him, "Thank you for the warning, Inutaisho-sensei. I will keep that in mind."

He stands up straight and heads back to his desk. "You are excused now, Uematsu," he says without looking back. I get up with my things in hand and head out the door. _"I really was imagining everything,"_ I think to myself as I nearly run to the train station. I cannot help myself as tears begin to form in my eyes, and I just look down when blinking them away does not work. _"Why do I feel so crushed?"_ I find that sadness easily takes a hold of me because I was not able to rebuild my defenses to keep it out. I curl up in my seat on the train and mentally slap myself for being upset over something I never had.

For the rest of the week I do not participate much in any of my classes. I do not volunteer to read or raise my hand to answer any questions. I suppose I just want to shut the doors and keep to myself. To my pleasure, no one notices; not even the girls in my study group question why I have not said a word. Everyone leaves me alone, and no body beckons to hear a word from me. That changes just a week before finals, and the spiteful perpetrator is Inutaisho-sensei. Of all people, it has to be him.

"Uematsu, read section three of the chapter and tell us what you make of it," for the first time in two weeks he calls on me. I find myself mildly irritated, but I obey him. He calls on me a couple more times after that, and to my surprise he actually looks at me while I answer. Normally, he would keep his eyes cast down to the book in his hands. When he allows us to get into our study groups I wonder what changed his attitude, but then I brush it off._ "Do not over think things, again."_

He continues to call on me up until Saturday when he allows us to spend the entire class in our study groups since exams are next week. After school I head straight home deciding on going grocery shopping tomorrow instead. I cannot comprehend why, but I have been feeling drained all week. All I have wanted to do after school is go straight to bed and just sleep. Even though it is early in the afternoon, I cannot imagine anything I would rather do in place of being under my blanket. Even though I was in bed only five hours ago, I cannot think of anything more blissful than lying there for another few hours (or maybe until tomorrow morning).

On Sunday I swing my legs over the side of my bed and trudge to my bathroom. I will shamelessly admit to being in bed for more than twenty-four hours when I look at my watch and it reads half past 1600 hours. After washing up, I decide on dressing up a bit so that at least my surface can appear bright and full of life. I don a mint green tube dress with a high-low trim and brown sandals. After applying makeup and attempting to do something with my hair, I am out the door. I am fully ready for a usual trip to the grocery store to grab my usual items as I wonder down the usual aisles. Then, the feeling of deja vu hits me when I turn the corner and see a certain sensei that has been plaguing my thoughts.

I halt my steps and quietly turn on my heel. As quietly as I can, I walk away from him and hope that he does not notice me. Of course, I have not been getting anything I hope for lately.

"Uematsu," I hear him call to me, and I feel my heart stall for a few reasons.

"Hi, sensei," I shyly respond after turning back around, "I'm sorry I left my book at home. Can't read the synopsis of chapter whatever and answer any questions."

He looks at me with an amused expression, and I can tell that it is definitely brought on by my discomfort. _"Evil jackass. Honestly, does he get off on making me uncomfortable?"_ I observe him as he casually replaces the jar of cocktail olives back in its place on the shelf. He turns his gaze back on me then makes his way in my direction. His steps stop just a couple feet away from me, and if his eyes did not melt me in place I would have ran away.

"Is there something you need me to help you with?" I say gathering all my confidence to look him in the eyes.

"I would just like to commend you for the poem you submitted for the last assignment before final exams," he smoothly states, "It's nice to read a piece by you that isn't so dreary."

"Thank you. I suppose I just needed inspiration."

"As you are charmed in your poem, I am interested to know what inspired you."

"Just everyday things. Some we hardly notice."

"Such as the behavior of those around us?"

"You can say that."

"The behavior of other's can be so unpredictable, wouldn't you agree? Wouldn't you say that they can astonish us at any given moment?"

"You ask questions you already know the answer to," I blankly say to him.

"I'm just reiterating the underlying meaning of your poem," he says back, "Now, it's your turn to ask questions. I know that you have a few for me."

"No, sensei. You've thoroughly covered everything in class."

"Those aren't the questions I am referring to. I know that there is something you want to ask me about that has nothing to do with class," he says reading my mind like that book he did not put in the right spot, "You don't seem to be doing much shopping. Let's go."

* * *

Hello!

Only four more views until we reach 100! Hell, yeah! Thanks you guys. :) I hope you are all enjoying everything so far!


	7. In His Head

**Chapter 6: In His Head**

Inutaisho-sensei leads me out of the grocery store and down a couple blocks to a coffee house. I spend the walk convincing myself that I am only following him out of curiosity. _"What questions does he think I have? Does he have multiple personality disorder? Why does he ignore me one minute and then call for my attention the next?"_ We enter the quiet café, and he picks a couple chairs in the back corner away from any windows. I decline his offer to buy me a drink and sit down in one of the corduroy chairs. Soon, he joins me in the secluded corner with a hot cup of tea in hand. My face is turned towards my nails that are being dragged between the velvety ribs, but I watch sensei through my peripheral vision. He sits back in his seat with an ankle resting on the other leg's kneecap, and his chin rests on the fingers of the arm closest to me.

"Well, are you going to begin or will I have to watch you groom the furniture for much longer?"

I sigh then ask, "I was just wondering if you would like the number to my therapist. She knows many professionals in her field that specialize in DID and MPD," I casually say as I turn a sharp gaze at him. In my head, he dragged me down here, and I will not allow him to talk down to me. To my pleasure, his eyebrows rise slightly, and I catch a glimmer of amusement.

"Uematsu, what makes you think that I am in need of such assistance?"

"For a while you are one person, and then later it's like a whole knew person is coming around. Then you are back to that strange person who can't keep his hands to himself. Soon after, you're closed off, again."

His eyes flicker downwards as he absorbs my observation.

"You are more attentive than you let on. Your mind always seems to wonder during class; even your other teachers think so. It's interesting. Had you graduated when you were supposed to, it wouldn't be frowned upon for me to act the way I want to towards you. Then again, if you did then I wouldn't be assigned to the class you are in ultimately never meeting you. It appears even I cannot contain myself at all times."

My hands are folded in my lap now, and I do my best to look confident and unfazed as I stare at him. _"Wait, what? Act…? The way you want…? Frowned upon? What? Wait… What? I'm sorry, but what?"_ In my fabricated life, I dealt with a sensei that pined after me. Unfortunately, envisioning it is nothing like facing it in reality. Also, I made the one in my memories average in appearance and personality, and the man in front of me is towering over average. He did not downright say he is attracted to me, but the pieces are all there in my head. After watching them fall into place I find that I feel neither uncomfortable nor repulsed.

"I suspected that I would have a dejected and apathetic student when Kokubunji-sama notified me that you would be in my homeroom and Japanese class," he continues as I stare at him in a nearly catatonic state, "but instead there was something else in your eyes that suggested otherwise. It was made clear when you blurted out that disrespectful remark towards me and put Minami in her place. You could even look into my eyes and lie about an injury you received during your Physical Education class. I became intrigued, but you were so reserved. I had little chance to find out more.

"And it was in this very café, a couple months ago, I sat by the window grading papers when a siren walked in. I watched her gracefully make her way around the place and then take a seat outside on the patio to read a couple magazines. People came and left, but we stayed in our seats. I had the perfect view of her and was astonished when she removed her sunglasses to reveal that she was you of all people, Uematsu. I wondered what you were doing in my neighborhood until I remembered reading your file and noticing that your given address is on the same street as me.

"You got up in a hurry, and I, never one to pass up an opportunity, followed you to the theater. I was right to think that if I watched you when you thought you were alone I could learn a lot about you. You showed so many emotions during that movie; a change to the usual blank face you don during class. It was unsettling to watch you cry at the end, but I could not risk letting you know I was there because I had to be sure…" he trails off as if contemplating telling me what he needed to be sure of. I am rendered speechless as he goes on, so asking him cannot pass my lips. He closes his eyes and continues:

"I left the theater before you did. I had to get away and wash my hands of everything going through my mind. That's when I decided to go to the museum and distract myself. I learned about their exhibit on renewable resources through a little girl I look after from time to time. She told me all about her 1st grade class field trip to the museum, and I grew interested. I didn't expect to see you there and looking at everything like a child in Disneyland. I chalked it up as a higher power telling me to continue studying you, and when I saw you—again—at the store I assumed I was being told to speak with you. It was amusing; earning your ire just for assisting you in your salad dressing dilemma," he opens his eyes and looks at me with a smirk. _"I knew I was being followed that day!"_

"Am I now 'Stalker-sensei' to you? I was truly worried for you the day you dubbed me 'Jackass-sensei'," he goes on and I listen intently, "When you didn't show up at school for an entire week my concern grew exponentially. The school secretary didn't see what I saw in your eyes the moment you ran away. It was ridiculous how she could casually say you were ill and will be back soon. I had to see with my own eyes that you were well, so I gathered your assignments from the other teachers as an excuse to drop by your doorstep. I was greeted with quite the site. It took every bit of control I had to look away," his eyes darken as I finally move so that I can look down to hide my flushing cheeks.

"It originally wasn't in my lesson plan to have creative writing dominate the entire term, but after reading your work I desired for more. I felt like I knew more about you through your writing. I grew careless, you would say, which has never happened before. I let myself get into situations where I would be alone with you, and that was very dangerous. I immediately forced myself to quash that behavior, and force out the growing affection towards you. But it resurfaced when you closed yourself off. Are you alright? You haven't said a word for a while."

He tilts his head to the side, and I blink several times as my mind processes the short story he has told me. I will not deny that I am happy to not have been over thinking things, but where do we go from here?

"Inutaisho-sensei, I…"

"Call me Sesshomaru. I'm only Inutaisho-sensei to you at school."

"Sesshomaru," a small smile graces his face at the sound of his first name rolling off my tongue, "I'm baffled. All that you have said is a lot to take in and assess at once. What are you getting at?" _"I need to know for sure that I am not over thinking things. I want him to be straightforward."_

"I suppose you want me to spell it out for you," he sighs, "I want you, Uematsu Sakura. In ways a teacher should never want a student."

I relax in my seat and take a deep breath upon reaching the climax of the evening. Surely, nothing can top Sesshomaru's confession.

"What are we going to do about this?" I ask breathing out.

"Nothing."

_"Nothing?! What the hell?!"_

"Nothing, unless you want to do something," he elaborates smirking at my displeasured reaction, "I won't deny or take back what I said. We can start seeing each other or keep a student-teacher relationship between us. It is up for you to decide now."

He looks away when he mentions keeping nothing between us but a student-teacher relationship. His face is still blank, but his eyes look hopeful. I lean to the right of my seat with my temple wresting on my knuckles. I listen to the sounds of the barista steaming milk and a trio near the front chattering about their day. I wonder how many people on the planet came across a situation like this, and what they chose. He waits patiently for my decision as I quietly sit and think everything over. If we start seeing each other we will have big things at risk: his career, my reputation and possible expulsion. Also, we will have to survive two more terms under the radar.

"Inutaisho-sensei…"

"Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru, I don't know if what we could lose is all worth it."

"Then," he takes hold of my hand, "allow me to prove to you that what can be is worth it."

* * *

Hey guys!

Sorry this one is short, but I thought it would be best to end the chapter there.

'Til next time!


	8. Surprise Date

**Chapter 7: Surprise Date**

After school on Monday I take the train to downtown Osaka. I have an appointment with Souma Yuzuki at her main office located on the seventh floor of an incredibly tall building. I repaint my surroundings to that of a behavior correctional facility. I sit in the stale waiting room with other delinquents slouching in their seats; some are handcuffed to the armrest. They all have tattoos and piercing, and they wear clothes that go beyond inappropriate for even the lowest of professional environments. They look at me like I do not belong as I sit with perfect posture in my iron pressed school uniform. At the counter a macho man in uniform watches over us disgustedly and idly taps his beating stick on the counter. I keep my eyes downcast as I wait for Detective Souma, my assigned probation officer, to finally call me to her office.

"Uematsu Sakura?" a lanky intern at the facility calls my name. I get up, cross the room, and ignore the whistles from the slum dogs. I step into Detective Souma's office, and she greets me with a warm smile. We begin with the usual icebreaker questions until I get comfortable. She asks me about my life, how I am doing in school, the new people I have met, and if things have gotten better since I nearly beat up a student. She borderline commands me to be on my best behavior because this is my last chance.

"Have you spoken with your old friends, Yumi and Takako?" she questions me. I think about it before answering.

"No, I haven't."

"Perhaps it would be a good idea if you rekindle your friendship with them," she says and I look at her dumbfounded. _"Why would she want me to hang around my gang when she wants me to be on my best behavior?"_ I think to myself just before her statement pulls me back into reality.

My eyes flicker to adjust to the remodeled scene before me. We no longer sit in a dimly lit and stale room with piles upon piles of case files. The foldout chair I once sat in is now a doughy leather couch, the room is bright, and Detective Souma no longer wears a tan trench coat and fedora. Before me, Yuzuki-sama is dressed in black leggings, brown knee-high boots, and a gray tunic top. She sits cross-legged in the chair across from me with her pen and notepad balanced on her lap. She observed my wide-eyed expression with interest and scribbles something down in her notes.

"Sakura-chan," she sighs, "eventually you will find that the castle you built won't be able to shelter you for long. Eventually, the demons you are hiding from will penetrate your walls, and you will have to face them. They will only get stronger the longer you avoid taking them down."

I hear her words, but I do not take them into consideration. Knowing this, she does not touch on the subject again; opting for telling me she will wait until I am ready. Our session is over, and she sees me out.

"I will see you in a few months, Sakura-chan," she says as she holds the door open for me, "Good luck on your final exams this week!" I offer her a small smile and nod as I step out.

The walk back to the train station is uneventful. I stare blankly ahead and allow my body to maneuver me through the crowd; dodging girls with hands full of shopping bags in preparation for summer break. I recall being amongst them at some point. A smile plastered on my face as I make my rounds at the shops with my girls. Lucky for us, the crowd kept the sales associates busy while we helped ourselves to swimsuits, sandals, sunglasses, and everything else beach goers would need. As normal I dive into a fabricated past life on the train ride home. It is a ritual for me, whenever I go on long rides or have a moment where my mind can wonder; I build over each genuine memory with care so that a gleam of reality cannot pass through. Once the familiar buildings of the area I live in come into view, I have carefully plastered over every detail right before school started. With satisfaction, I get off the train and make my way home.

As always, appointments with Yuzuki-sama always drain me. She is a link, to my actuality, that I am forced to see. Whenever she comes into play, I can feel the world I built up begin to crumble; and I need to get away from her before they reveal myself to what I have been hiding from. I step into my apartment building with wondrous plans for a nap, but that all changes at the site of a silver-haired man sitting in the lobby.

Inutaisho-sensei, I mean Sesshomaru, turns his gaze up at the sound of the door closing and our eyes meet. Suddenly, I am enlivened but mostly annoyed. _"I really just want to take a nap. Just leave me alone."_ He stands up and makes his way to me. I turn to go out the door, but once I have it open he places a palm above me shutting it. I sigh before turning to look up at him.

"We had plans to meet at the café after school, did you forget?"

"If you call choosing not to remember forgetting then, yes, I did," I say deadpan, "I'm sorry. I had a mandatory appointment that I forgot about."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't have a phone."

"Before you left school?"

"I was running late."

We silently step apart as one of the residents needs to get through the door.

"Shouldn't you be worried that someone will see us?"

"No one at the school lives on this side of town. As long as we stay in the area we should be fine," he replies, and I look at him with doubt clear in my eyes.

"And how do you know?"

"I have my ways," he responds lowly.

With a sigh, I turn and head for the stairwell. At the bottom, I pause and look back at him as a signal to follow me. With each flight I thank the higher power that no one else was in the lobby (not counting that man who was in a hurry to leave). We step into my apartment and take off our shoes.

"Are you hungry, Inutaisho—I mean—Sesshomaru?" I ask correcting myself once his eyes narrow at the sound of his family's name.

"No, not right now."

"Good because I wasn't able to get any shopping done yesterday," I say making my way to the couch.

"I wonder why," he says following me then taking a seat.

"I had to deal with a strange man who confessed to stalking me, and then he asked for a chance to go steady," I say to him with a smug smile, "Would you like to watch a movie?"

"If that is what you want to do," he says with amusement on his face, "What do you think of the strange man?"

"He's foolish," I say getting up and making my way to the bookshelf that also holds all of my movies, "Willing to risk his career to feed into his infatuation with a student."

I scan the shelves before feeling arms wrap around me. Sesshomaru rests his chin on my shoulders and whispers into my ear, "I believe he is more than infatuated. Otherwise he wouldn't bother. Why did you say yes to him?"

At the thought of my reasoning, I bite my lip to hold back the smile that wants to split my face and hide behind my pride. "I said yes because I was curious to see how he can make it worth it for me. Do you like foreign films?"

"Depends, what country?"

"United States."

"You appear to have multiple films from that country."

"They know what they're doing when it comes to films."

"Pick a short one. There's a restaurant I want to take you to before they close."

"Are you sure we should be going out in public together?" I ask Sesshomaru as the credits roll, "It sounds like the stupidest thing we could do next to making out in the hallway at school."

"That can be the next thing we do," he says standing up, "I told you, no one from Shikon Academy lives on this side of town. The place I wish to take you is the last place we would see any of your classmates or any of the faculty for that matter."

"Let me at least change out of my uniform."

"You may want to wear something along the formal side."

"How formal?" I ask making my way to my dresser.

"Semi-formal."

I pull out a red v-neck bandage dress that hugs my curves and black pumps. Then I make my way to my bathroom to change and apply more make-up. _"I should try to make myself look older,"_ I think to myself,_ "Then, if anyone sees us they hopefully won't recognize me."_ I finish with my nighttime bombshell makeup and take a step away from the mirror. Satisfied that I barely recognize myself, I move onto hair. I undo my bun and let the soft curls cascade down my back. Then I part my hair to the side and pin it in place. All finished, I grab my uniform and the hangers and step outside. _"Damn right I'm going to strut across the room,"_ I think to myself as I make my way back to the dresser while putting my uniform on the hangers. I inwardly smile to myself when I catch Sesshomaru gaping at me from his seat on the couch. I exchange my uniform for a thin leather jacket and shrug it on.

"Ready," I say in an upbeat tone as I turn to look at Awestruck-sensei. I make my way to the counter to grab my wristlet.

"Leave it. You won't be needing it," he commands in a tone not to be defied. My hand moves over from my wristlet to my keys.

Sesshomaru leads me to his car parked on the side of the building and opens the passenger side door to let me in.

"You look ravishing," he says to me as he steps in.

"Thank you. So where are we going?" I ask as he puts the car in motion.

"Just a restaurant someone I know owns. He just recently opened it, but I haven't had a good enough reason to stop by."

"Supporting your friend in his business ventures sounds like a good enough reason."

"I prefer dining in and only going out for very special occasions," he briefly glances at me with a small suggestive smile.

I nod in response and turn to look out the window. The buildings grow taller as we drive deeper into the city, and the crowds on the sidewalks thicken. I mentally smack myself for not remembering to bring my sunglasses to hide behind while out on the streets. "Relax…" I hear Sesshomaru whisper upon noticing me shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Very soon we pull up in front of a ritzy building with a valet attendant waiting on the side. Said attendant opens the door for me, and I step out as Sesshomaru rounds the car and hands him the keys. Sesshomaru places his hand on my lower back and leads me up the steps through glass double doors to a marble podium.

"Where can I direct the both of you to, sir?" this next attendant asks with a wide smile.

"Mushin's Bistro," Sesshomaru blankly says.

"Take one of the elevators on your left to the 14th floor."

Sesshomaru grabs my hand and heads to the left. Before I budge, I motion to the attendant that she has lipstick on her teeth. Quickly she wipes it off, and I signal her thumbs up before Sesshomaru tugs my hand harder. _"Code to Live By Number Two: Always look out for a sister. Unless sister proves to be a [expletive that in English would rhyme with the English word hunt]."_ We ride the elevator up to the 14th floor, and it is a quiet ride. When I find that I cannot make out our forms in the metal in front of us, I peek up at Sesshomaru from behind my hair. His face is blank, as usual, and he watches as the numbers at the top of the doors light up as we pass each floor. My stare goes from him to our entwined hands as I try to figure out what he may be thinking (which is pointless). Suddenly, he looks down at me so I quickly turn my head forward. When I think it is safe I peek back up at him. He continues to watch the numbers only this time he has a smirk on his face.

The doors finally open, and we are greeted with lush carpeting and a panoramic view of the city. Still holding my hand, Sesshomaru leads me to the right where people are falling into line to enter what looks to be a lavish restaurant. We walk outside the velvet ropes, passing the people already in line, until we reach another podium that stands to the side of more glass double doors framed by velvet curtains.

"Inutaisho for two," Sesshomaru curtly says to attendant number three.

"Ah, Inutaisho-sama. We have been expecting you. Right this way please," he says and motions to the double doors with a white-gloved hand.

Through the double doors waits a hostess who leads us to our table. We walk across the restaurant and I look around thankful that Sesshomaru still holds my hand. Otherwise I would run into tables and chairs. The restaurant is dimly lit. I cannot see the ceiling, but dark red curtains seem to fall from somewhere separating the booths to make them more secluded. On each table is a single lit candle, and the tables are widely spaced apart. On the opposite end from the booths is a stage where a grand piano stands with a pianist playing soft music. We reach our spot; a booth situated in the corner giving us maximum privacy and a view of the entire restaurant.

"Here are your menus as well as a wine list," the hostess says as we take our seats across from the other, "Your server tonight is Hachiemon."

The hostess smiles then leaves. I scan the menu thinking to myself, _"Damn, everything is pricey! I wonder how he will be able to afford this on a teacher's salary. Yeah, it's that pricey…"_ After a moment, our server comes up and he is quite skittish yet adorable. I love him immediately.

"Would you like anything to drink sir and madam?"

"I will have a glass of the Purple Moon Shiraz," Sesshomaru says. Hachiemon nods and turns to me.

"I will just have a water, thank you."

"I will retrieve those for you. Would you like another moment to look at the dinner menu?"

"Not necessary," Sesshomaru says and orders the steak. I smile when Hachiemon turns to me and I order a seared ahi salad. He takes our menus and goes off.

"A salad. For dinner?" Sesshomaru scrutinizes me.

"I prefer to eat light at night. Why would you need energy from a large amount of food if you're going to go to sleep a few hours later?"

"Who said I was going to let you sleep in a few hours?" he lowly rebuttals.

Hachiemon returns with our drinks just as my cheeks begin to flush. Sesshomaru takes a sip of his wine and nods in approval. With that, Hachieman scurries off.

"Want a sip?"

"No, thank you."

"Would you like your own than?"

"I'm not of drinking age."

"I won't tell."

"Wino-sensei, are you trying to get me drunk?" I ask him with my best innocent face.

"So it's Wino-sensei now," he says with a challenging smile, "What other nicknames do you have for me?"

"Jackass-sensei, Stalker-sensei, Wino-sensei, and—just three," I say holding my fingers up.

"Sounds like there is a fourth."

"I haven't outwardly called you that one yet, so it doesn't count," I consider the nickname I gave him in my head when I finished changing earlier.

Our dinner arrives and we quietly eat stealing glances at the other between bites. _"This salad is delicious. I know it's just a salad, but it's freakin' delicious. His steak smells good, too. Why didn't I get that? Maybe next time we can go out for lunch, so I can order a real meal. Mmm, ahi…"_ We finish our dinner and our plates are cleared. Once Hachiemon leaves with the bill, a tall gentleman wearing a fine suit makes his way to our table.

"Sesshomaru, I'm glad that you have finally found time to stop by!" he enthusiastically says while resting his arm at the top of the booth on my side and leaning in. "And who is this lovely lady? An exceptional upgrade from Sara I should add."

"Miroku, this is Sakura. Sakura he is the restaurant's owner," Sesshomaru says sternly.

"And friend of Uptight-sama over here," Miroku winks at me while extending his hand to me. I shake his hand with a smile and compliment his lovely restaurant. Then I turn to Sesshomaru holding up four fingers and mouthing 'Uptight-sensei'. He smirks back.

"I hope that you have enjoyed your meal tonight. When Hachiemon told me that it was your order I went back there and made it myself."

"If that were true we would both be on the way to the emergency room," Sesshomaru says with one arm draped over the booth and the other on his glass.

"Hahaha, you caught me! My wife, Sango, handles the menu and presentation. I just operate," he says with a grin turning to me. "Well, I should let you two get back to your date. It was delightful to set eyes upon you, Miss Sakura."

Miroku holds my hand and places a soft kiss on my knuckles. To my relief, Sesshomaru clears his throat causing Miroku to set my hand down and run off. I turn to look at the newly dubbed Uptight-sensei and immediately recoil. He looks at me with eyes narrowed and a frown on his face. Before I can utter a word, Sesshomaru gets up.

"We're leaving," he says.

* * *

Holla for Chapter 7!

Wow, the view count for this story broke 250 these past few days. Thank you all so much! Also, Purple Moon Shiraz is a wine that you can find at Trader Joe's. It's one of my favorites! It's also not very expensive, but in this story it is since it's offered at Miroku's super fancy (Iggy Azalea status) bistro. ;)


	9. Doing What Feels Right

**Chapter 8: Doing What Feels Right**

I follow Sesshomaru back to the car replaying the previous scene in my head to reason why he has become angry. The ride back to my place is quiet and tense. Sesshomaru focuses his eyes on the road and his jaw looks clenched. He still has not said a word, and I am trying to not care about it as much. I just mindlessly fiddle with the zipper on my jacket until we pull up in front of my building. I look up at the place and reach for the door handle.

"Don't move. I will get the door for you," Sesshomaru finally speaks unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the driver's side door.

I step out, and he leads me into my building then up the three flights of stairs to my floor. I try to slow our pace so I can figure out what to say by the time we reach my door. _"Thank you for dinner… Why are you so pissy? Would you like to come inside? No, that doesn't sound appropriate for a first date. What crawled up your backside?"_ I am jolted out of my mental rehearsal when I feel my back pressed up against my front door. Sesshomaru has me pinned against the wood with his hips. One arm is above my head and the other has its fingers placed beneath my chin. He tilts my head up to look him in the eyes, and he slowly leans in. My eyes widen when I see what is coming, and I surprise even myself with what I do to stop it.

With my hands on his chest I push him away, but keep him close enough to connect a good slap clear across his face.

"What do you think you're doing?!" I gasp. "You can't give me the cold shoulder the rest of the night and think you've earned yourself a goodnight kiss. It doesn't work that way."

He regains himself and touches the red mark that is left on his right cheek. I ready my keys and turn to unlock the door. "Goodnight, Inutaisho-sensei. I'll see you tomorrow at school," I angrily say placing the key in the lock and turning the knob. I step in and turn around to slam the door in his face. Before it shuts, I catch a glimpse of amusement dancing in his eyes. I stand there holding my breath until I hear his footprints fade away on the other side of the door. Letting it go, I cross the threshold taking off my jacket and pulling my dress up and over my head. I toss the sheath to the side, somewhere on the floor, and fall backwards unto my bed. I try to sort through everything going through my head as I lay on my back with my face turned towards the windows. _"Am I about to let some young, beguiling teacher treat me with such disrespect? Hell, no! I may be reformed, but dammit, that does not mean I won't hit him again! His cologne smells so good mixed with his natural scent… What the hell? Where did that come from?! I'm confused. He confused me. Jerk! It's going to be really awkward at school tomorrow…"_ I groan out loud before kicking off my pumps then turning on my side. I squeeze my eyes shut and let sleep take hold.

Today is the last day we have to study before finals begin. The exam schedule goes as follows:

Wednesday: 1st and 2nd Period Finals

Thursday: 3rd and 4th Period Finals

Friday: 5th and 6th Period Finals

Saturday: No School

I am thankful that after today I will not have to see him for two days straight. It is hard enough right now sitting in homeroom forcing myself to focus on a book I am reading. The rest of the students are reading quietly as well, so no one except myself notices the pair of gold eyes fixed on me. I can feel the orbs burning holes at my side, but I ignore it and keep my face blank as I skim the words on the pages. It is an easy Tuesday as the teachers cycle through the classrooms and we review everything we learned this term. I am all but excited when 6th period rolls in and an uptight teacher with it. We get into our study groups for this class, and I make a point to turn my desk so it does not face him.

"Uematsu-senpai, are you in some kind of trouble?" girl number two asks me. "Sensei is keeping a close eye on you. Did you do something scandalous?"

My paranoia kicks in at her last question. _"How does she know I went on a date with him last night?!"_ I inwardly want to shoot him an I-told-you-so glare. Girl number two's face looks genuinely ignorant, so I just shrug and utter to her that I have no idea what crawled up his ass. I sigh and flip through my textbook. Then, I have girl number one test me on different methods to write a poem and paragraph formation. Finally, the clock strikes three, and Inutaisho-sensei dismisses us. I hover in my seat until the minute hand hits twelve, so I bolt out the door before he can finish his sentence.

The two days straight without seeing him or being near him were a much needed break. They were much needed, but too short. I just have to get through these last two hours. I find it hard to focus on my test because I can feel gold eyes watching me, but every time I glance up he is looking down at his desk. I shrug it off. Then I answer the few questions I have left and quickly jot down the essay part. I refold the packet taking a deep breath and stand up. I slowly make my way to his desk bracing myself for the first bit of contact since our date.

"Finished already, Uematsu?" he questions looking up into my eyes.

"Yes, it wasn't a very difficult exam," I respond trying my best to be nonchalant.

"I see. You can leave early if you would like. No point in staying now that you're all done. Enjoy the summer break."

I nod to him and head back to my desk to grab my things. I hear the pens and pencils scribble faster on paper when everyone notices that Inutaisho-sensei will let them leave when they are done. _"He blew it, Sakura," _I think to myself as I walk through the quiet school halls. _"He's the one who spoiled his opportunity, so you shouldn't feel bad. It's not your fault he lacks common sense."_ I do my best to make myself not regret Monday night's events, but I find myself replaying and repainting the scenes in my head. I pause just before the front doors and lean against the wall. I cannot be helped. I rethink different scenarios: in one he was not such an ass; in another I just let him be my first kiss instead of pushing him away; finally, I let the events unfold as they did except I do not call him Inutaisho-sensei which ended the whole trial. With only the wall holding me up I begin tapping my head against the hard surface in an attempt to knock those thoughts out of my mind and move on. I stop when I feel a headache coming on and someone clears their throat behind me. I turn and feel a pang of delight when I see Inutaisho-sensei standing there.

"I suspect that you are wounding yourself because you realized that you skipped an entire page of questions," he says handing me my exam packet. "They are on the back."

I take the packet and flip it over.

"Oh," I have nothing else to say.

"You can either finish it here or back at the classroom. Your choice."

"I have come to far to go back," I lightheartedly say glancing up the long hallway.

"Very well," he says leading me to a bench. "I have to be here to ensure that you don't cheat. Not that I suspect you would. Just school policy."

I nod my head and pull a binder out of my bag to provide a hard surface to write on.

"What about the other students?" I ask him and he raises his eyebrows.

"Were you that unaware of your surroundings just now? They already finished and many passed by you on their way out."

"Good times," I say before beginning to finish the exam.

I find myself taking my time; relishing in the moment of sitting with him on a bench even though it means nothing. My breaths are careful as I try to embed the smell of his cologne into my memory. In the back of my head, two pieces of me are at war: my heart and my brain. The smart thing to do would be to ignore these igniting feelings. Snuff them out because they are so wrong on a professional level and an ethical level. However, my heart aches and screams that even though it is so wrong it feels so right.

"Sesshomaru-kun! What are you doing here?" I look up to see Motosuwa-sensei walking down the hall.

"I am supervising a student as she finishes her exam," Inutaisho-sensei says getting up and walking towards him. They engage in a conversation, and I turn my head back to my work.

I finish, and they are still talking. Inutaisho-sensei stands with good posture as Motosuwa-sensei slouches and leans on one leg. I go back to contemplating my dilemma as I gaze at the beautiful man standing nearby. I find that my brain is losing the battle as my eyes take in all of his pleasing features. _"What is he doing teaching? He is handsome enough to be an actor or a model!"_ I bite my lip as I make my final decision. While their eyes are averted, I pull a sticky note out from my bag. I quickly scribble on it and stick it inside the second sheet before folding the packet close. Satisfied, I fold my hands over my makeshift desk and focus my eyes on the two men; waiting patiently.

"Looks like Uematsu-chan is all done!" Motosuwa-sensei brings their conversation to a close. "I will see you around during summer school, Sesshomaru-kun! Damn, Minami and Motoko for having to attend!"

Sesshomaru begins walking and stops right in front of me. I watch Motosuwa-sensei exit through the front doors before turning my attention back to Adonis-sensei. I hand him the packet.

"There is a question on page three that you may want to bring your attention to," I say standing up as he takes the packet from my hands. "What's there… You may find intriguing."

I hurriedly walk to the front doors and push one of them open. Halfway through, I glance back at him. He holds the packet open to page three and looks at it intently.

Did I get an answer from him? No. What am I doing at the grocery store then? Preparing and hoping for the best. _"Round 2? Dinner at my place at 1800 hours."_ I think about the note I left for him. I wonder from aisle to aisle to gather ingredients. For dinner I decide on making Italian cuisine in homage to the cities of love. The closest thing to a man's heart is his stomach, so I am glad that I have cooking skills and knowledge of different cuisines to make things interesting. I am not old enough to buy wine, so I grab the right syrup and some sparkling water to make Italian sodas instead. I go over everything in my basket thrice to make sure that I have all that I need. Confident that everything is there, I head for checkout then head home.

I time my cooking so that it will be finished a little after he arrives. Assuming, he gets here on time. Assuming, he even comes. About ten minutes until the hour I walk over to my laptop to play some background music. Then I walk to my bed where the dress I plan on wearing is and slip it on. After adjusting the fabric into the right places, I glance at the clock. It is 1600 hours exactly. My eager eyes turn to the door, and I wait for the knock.

* * *

Hello!

I hope you guys like this chapter! Right now I am a little stuck. I do not know if I want their relationship to develop now, later, or never. Currently, there are a few ways I have in mind for this story to go... So, sorry if the next update takes too long as I will be figuring things out and playing with scenarios!

Finally, shout-out to BatmanBVB69, Ciana wolf, and KillerKitten343 for the favorite/follow! I feel happy (and motivated) knowing you guys like my story! Even if you guys become the only readers I will continue posting chapters for all of you!

Until next time!


	10. Anniversary

**Chapter 9: Anniversary**

The food is cold, and the candles on the kitchen island have melted down to half its original length before burning out. My apartment has a bluish glow as the midnight moon's light peers through the panoramic windows. All is quiet except for the soft piano keys playing on a loop through my laptop. I am slumped on the side of my bed with my hands clamped around my arms as if I am cold. Sesshomaru… Inutaisho-sensei never showed up.

My mine wonders as I contemplate the position I am in. Perhaps this is karma for using that teacher back when I lead my all girl gang. Now I sit here, with no intentions of such manipulation, wondering what would be happening now if he came. I was so sure that he would. He did, after all, pursue me first. One would think that he would leap for a second chance. I find myself going through a vivid scenario in my head.

He would knock on the door and listen to my eager steps as I go to let him in. We would sit at the kitchen island, and he would enjoy the food I put so much love and care into making. He would show me an amused smirk as I pour Italian sodas into wine glasses because I am not of drinking age. I would ask him what made him decide on teaching as a career. He would tell me about his life, likes, and dislikes. I would happily listen and revel in solving the enigma that has kept me distracted thus far. We would move to the couch and continue our conversation; just exchanging stories all night long. Maybe, we would laugh, and I would see a side of him no one has ever seen before.

The reverie comes to a halt when the piano music stops playing, and I am left alone in my apartment feeling like a foolish adolescent. I feel like even more of a fool as I go to clean up the mess I have made. I throw the candles and the food into the trash making a mental note to take it out tomorrow. Then I put away the syrup and sparkling water. Finished ridding of all the evidence, I change into my sleepwear and nurse my wounded confidence until I fall asleep in bed.

The month off for summer break passed quickly. I nervously make my way through the halls at school until I reach my homeroom. Everyone in class talks about what they did during the break. They share photos with each other, show off new accessories they got, and compare tan lines.

"Uematsu-senpai! What did you do over summer break?" Girl Number One asks me. She has Haru-kun and Girl Number Two on either side of her.

"I watched all of the movies I own," I reply back sitting at my desk with my chin resting on my wrist.

"That's all you did?" Girl Number Two asks, and I nod my response. "We should've exchanged numbers. The three of us took a trip to the beach. We would've loved for you to come with us!"

"That sounds like it would've been fun, but I don't have a phone."

"You don't have a phone?" Haru-kun asks in awe.

"Never thought I would need it."

The trio gapes at me, and I just shrug. _"Well if you count stolen burner phones…"_ The chatter around the room stops as Inutaisho-sensei walks in. Everyone takes a seat at their desks and turn into androids; blank faces stare ahead and hands fold in front. I, on the other hand, have my eyes glued down to my planner with my fingers fiddling with the hem of my skirt. _"If you can't see him, he can't see you,"_ I repeat in my head hoping that there is truth behind it.

"Good morning class," he starts off, "I trust that you have all had an enjoyable summer break. Even those of you in summer school."

Vaguely, I feel two pairs of eyes land on my back to burn holes. I realize—unfortunately—that the Dreadful Duo is back. Inutaisho-sensei continues with taking attendance (silently, not calling out anyone's names) and finishes with a few announcements. The day cycles through like normal with added nuisances from my favorite couple of gals. I hold my own, though. All they can do is glare at me anyways. I can bear seeing their pinched faces every now and then. Finally, the day ends, and I walk out of the school relieved that I survived being in the same room as him after being stood up. However, I still hurt.

Instead of reminiscing about the past I find myself re-imagining our last interactions. I bend them to create more favorable outcomes and wish deep down that all of them were true. I wonder if I would ride home with him instead of taking the train. _"Safely on our side of town, would we act more like a couple?"_ I question as I pass the café he took me to. Standing in front of my building I feel a little glimmer of hope that he is waiting for me in the lobby. My eyes scan the room as I head for the stairwell. With no sign of long silver hair in the lobby, I ignore the crushing feeling inside as I climb to my floor. When my door comes into sight, so does the image of the two of us standing there after our first date. He stood so close and the look in his eyes held so much meaning. I woefully watch as the scene plays out, and I want to slap the Sakura before me just after she slapped him. _"Just let him kiss you, dammit!"_ I scream in my head. _"The stinging feeling of swallowing your pride is nothing compared to what you will feel. Listen to me!"_ With a huff, I walk through the apparitions and they disperse in smoke. Inside my apartment, I lean against the door. Before I know it I find myself sliding down the door with regretful tears and sobs escaping the cage I kept them in.

I am wounded, like any girl out there who has developed unrequited feelings for another. In my case, I never wanted these feelings but they disguised themselves and found a secret way in. Those are the most dangerous as it begins as a seed of curiosity that plants itself in your heart. I made the mistake of feeding into the curiosity, and it grew like a plant being watered and given sunlight. The roots of these feelings grew deep, and—like the fool that I am—I grabbed it at the base and ripped it from the surface; leaving behind a tattered and open wound. I have no one to blame for my misery but myself. In that split moment, I chose to push him away. He is a man, not a boy, so of course he would accept my answer right there and move on. Men do not have time to play silly games back and forth. Of course he would not come knocking on my door that night before summer break began.

Wiping away my tears, I stand up and take a deep breath. _"This is ridiculous. I have greater things to worry about such as getting through school and getting far away from him," _I think to myself. I force myself to revert back to the freshly reformed yankii who is ready to stay in line and graduate from high school upon given a second chance. I ignore the aching feeling in my chest and push forward.

I am no stranger to loss. That much I know. I fall deeper into the fabricated life I created as the school days progress. I no longer sit in my seat hoping like a helpless schoolgirl for a man to notice me. I hold my head high and act as though I never dabbled in a forbidden tryst. There is an aura of confidence around me, and I can even look him in the eye; matching the blank stare I know so well. Deep down, I am still the hardened yankii I was growing up. I am just pulling her back to the surface. Well, most of her.

"Uematsu-chan, so you decided to come to school today," I hear Kokubunji-sama call out to me as I pass through the front doors.

"Of course," I answer a little confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I just assumed you would want to take the day off," he slowly says with visible concern. "After all, today is…"

I tilt my head to the side waiting for him to finish his sentence.

"Never mind, it's good to see you keeping up with your schooling," he turns away with a wave and walks off.

_"That was… odd."_

Things get even stranger once I step into the classroom. Everyone is already in their seats, and many of them seem surprised to see me. I brush them off and take my seat.

"Do you think she knows what day it is today?"

"Should we tell her?"

"No, that's totally insensitive."

"Gotta hand it to her for being tough… Still showing up to school and all."

I hear them whisper behind me and pull out my planner to check the date. The 27th of September. I feel a vague sense of significance for today. Then realization hits me harder than a sledgehammer. My eyes widen as a crushing feeling around my chest makes it hard to breathe. I wrap my arms tightly around my body to keep it all inside. Drops of acid from a life I tried to cover up leak through each protective brick of my fabricated life and burn at the back of my eyes. I can feel my face scrunching up into ugly proportions in an attempt to keep the acid from rolling through my tear ducts. The grip around my body grows tighter.

"Uematsu-senpai, are you alright?" I hear Haru-kun ask from his seat next to me.

With my face aimed downwards and hair draped around to cover my pained expression, I slowly shake my head no. "I… I can't breathe," I manage to choke out.

"I'll get the nurse!" He exclaims and I hear him run out the door.

"Haru, class is about to start!" Inutaisho-sensei scolds him.

"Uematsu-senpai needs the nurse! She can't breathe!"

"Uematsu. Uematsu, can you hear me?"

I can hear him, but my energy is focused on formulating a new scenario to cover up the significance of today's date. My imagination rushes to my rescue but to no avail. The truth is out like a pesky beast that refuses to go back in its cage. My arms tighten even more around my body, and I feel pain from my nails that happen to be clawing at my chest as if trying to pull out the broken shards of my heart that stab everything inside.

"Uematsu! Uematsu!" I hear Inutaisho-sensei's voice in front of me, but my eyes are tightly shut. I cannot see it, but I hear concern in his voice; somehow, hearing him calling my name—with worry—is a breeze of cool air on a scorching day. It is just a shame that it is not enough to save me from the hell I am reliving.

"Everyone! Wait out in the hall!" I hear a feminine voice (the school nurse) say to the students. "Uematsu, I need you to lie down straight for me."

I faintly realize that I have somehow made it to the floor. I do not listen to her, and maintain my crunched up position.

"Nothing is physically wrong with her," Yuzuki-sama's familiar voice rings in, and I hear her kneel next to me. She places a hand on my shoulder. "You're realizing the truth again, aren't you?"

The tears finally escape my iron grip, and I nod my head yes.

"Nurse, please move the students waiting out in the hall to another location; the computer lab perhaps. I need to get Sakura-chan out of here safely and without an audience."

I hear the door slide open then close as the nurse leaves.

"Sakura-chan, can you get up?" she asks and I shake my head no. "Sensei, would you mind helping me get Sakura-chan to my car? We have to hurry; before she starts convulsing."

_"Sensei? Who…?"_ I feel strong arms underneath my body and then they lift me up. Through my tears and reddened eyes I see the gold hues of Inutaisho-sensei look back at me. His eyes show clear signs of disapproval when he looks down to my chest that is red with irritation and sprinkled with specks of blood. Embarrassed with the state I am currently in (and the fact that he is holding me bridal style) I avert my gaze.

"She appears to have calmed down a bit, but it will start back up again. It always does," Yuzuki-sama hurriedly says as we make our way through the halls.

Inutaisho-sensei gently sets me down in the passenger seat once we reach Yuzuki-sama's car. His face is blank save for a tense jaw line. He buckles me in, and with such close proximity, I inhale the familiar scent of _Chrome_ by Azzaro. When he pulls away, I feel fresh tears begin to stream down my face. His brow furrows just before closing the door, and I catch a glimmer of a familiar emotion in his eyes through the window. Yuzuki-sensei ignites the engine, and I watch his figure shrink in the side mirror as she drives off. When I can no longer see the school, I turn to look at my therapist who wears a smile like she knows of a secret she can use to her advantage.

* * *

Hi!

Sorry this took a while, but thank you all for being patient! I got over my dilemma sooner than I anticipated, and I hope all of you like where this story is going to go!

'Til next time!


	11. Myosotine

**Chapter 10: Myosotine **

The side of my head is pressed up against the cold window I sit by on the morning train to school. In one hand I hold the straps of my bag, and in the other I rotate the orange prescription bottle of my new poison with my thumb. "_Myosotine…_" I shake the bottle and thirty purple 50 mg pills crash into each other. Satisfied with the fullness of the bottle, I carefully place it in my bag along with the doctor's note that I need to turn into the school for their records. _"Take one pill as soon as you feel an episode coming on. Whether you think you can handle it or not, I want you to take one pill anyways. This is the second incident. A third and you may be readmitted,"_ Yuzuki-sama's words echo in my mind. I let out a sigh as my stop comes into view. _"Here we go…"_ I take my time getting off the train and walking to school. My mind goes over multiple scenarios of what can happen once I set foot in the classroom. Everyone knows I had an episode, and there is no doubt about it. To top that off, I have been absent from school for an entire week.

I drop the note off with the secretary and let her photocopy the print on the bottle. Once she gives it back, I head straight for my locker then the classroom. _"I was right… Everyone is looking at me like I am a ticking time bomb."_ I keep my head held high and ignore the beady eyes on me. To assist drowning out the whispers I bought a pair of headphones big enough to be noticed and padded enough that I cannot hear outside noises. I slip those bad boys on once I sit down at my desk, but they do not get to stay on for long. After ten minutes, Inutaisho-sensei strides into the classroom with his usual briefcase in tow. He eyes me curiously as he undoes the top button of his suit-jacket while greeting the class. I take off my headphones, neatly fold them, and carefully place them back into my bag.

"As many of you are aware, the Cultural Festival is coming up next month," he addresses the entire class. "That also marks the time that many of you may choose to bring your participation in clubs to a close so that you may focus on university entrance exams. As such, the Cultural Festival is always a huge event, and this year many of Shikon Academy Alumni's will return to assist their former kohai."

I force myself to be uninterested in this chatter of clubs and kohai, so I quietly finger through the stacks of homework I completed while I was on vacation. After all assignments are accounted for, I twist in my seat to stretch my back. My eyes connect with the melancholy hues of Haru-kun, and in that instant I feel a tinge of guilt run through me. I shove that feeling into a closet at the back of my mind and quickly avert my gaze. Throughout the day I force myself to not look around me with worry that I may dig up that feeling from before. When Inutaisho-sensei dismisses us I stand like normal and make my way to the door. My tracks are halted at the feel of someone's hand on my arm. I turn around and come face to face with Haru-kun.

"Uematsu-senpai, I'm sorry to bother you, but do you have any spare time to check up on the Music club?" he asks me with utter hope in his eyes.

I stare at him with widened eyes and mouth ajar. "Haru-kun, let go of my arm."

He timidly retracts his hand while looking down. "I'm sorry, senpai. We just… We could use some help, and-"

"Stop," I shake my head in a panic. "I'm sorry, Haru-kun. But I'm not the one you want help from."

I turn and nearly run out the door. I duck into the girl's bathroom and catch myself from falling on the granite counter. Sucking in deep breaths of air, I fish out my pills and shake one onto my palm after nearly ripping the cap off. _"Please work. Please work. Please work!"_ I pray in my head as I toss it into my mouth and drown it down with water from the sink. _"Nothing."_ I drink down another pill. My hands grip the edge of the counter as I lean forward waiting for them to kick in. _"10… 9… 8... 7…"_ I feel the panic that crawled up my spine subside. _"6… 5… 4… 3…" _A numbing feeling spreads through my chest and grows weaker as it strays from my heart. _"2… 1… 0…"_ My knees feel weak. _"0… 0… 0…"_ My legs fold as my fingers slacken. _"0…"_ The cold floor cools the side of my face and any other bit of exposed skin.

My head is foggy, and I stand in a bright room with mirrors covering one entire wall. I am not alone. On either side of me stand Yumi and Takako. They look different. Very different from how I remember them. The three of us are wearing outfits similar in style but varying in colors and coverage. In my reflection I can see my body moving, and the girls are mirroring my movements. We are dancing, and holding invisible microphones up to our mouths. Our performance comes to an end, and we strike a Charlie's Angel-esque pose. We are frozen, but our reflections move. They walk closer to us and step out from the mirror. The mirror ripples as they pass through, and they seemingly transform. I recognize them better now as they now wear denim shorts, crop tops, leather jackets, and stilettos. In the back of my mind I am confused and furious as I look at the imposter in front of me wearing my clothes while I don this frou-frou outfit. However, I am frozen and cannot do anything about it. The reflections and imposter go on with their own performance as rock music plays in the background. They finish, and we counter with a 60's routine that is all fun and bubbly. My imposter smiles at me once we finish and steps closer. She places a palm on my cheek and—to my surprise—her lips graze mine.

I felt surprise in my dream, but no emotions come when I wake up on the floor of the girl's bathroom. Nothing forms in my mind. I see no images from the past. Reality or fabricated; no memories forcefully play. Curiously, I try to remember something. I dream up a memory of a drug run; the last that I orchestrated with my gang. It plays, but I feel nothing. I try another memory. This time I recall Haru-kun asking me to stop by music club. It happened just moments ago, so the feeling should be fresh. I recall everything; from each trembling word to the hopeful look in his eyes. Still, I feel nothing. I can hardly recall the stab in my chest I felt, or the chilled feeling of panic run up my spine.

With the pace that could possibly rival a turtle, I gather my things and leave the bathroom. The halls are quiet, and the sun looks to be setting. I calculate that I must have been in that bathroom for a couple hours. I feel no panic as I walk through the school while lightly tracing the fingers of my right hand along the wall. The school is completely empty save for the cleaning staff that pays no mind to me as I pass them. The sound of the doors opening is the loudest thing I hear, and I find that I get a little startled. I walk to the steps and pause at the top looking up at the sky. I vaguely make out the pattern of Libra above me in spite of the city lights overpowering the stars' glow and splatter of clouds.

"Uematsu."

I slightly turn so that I can see the one who calls me. Still rather numb and dazed from my magic pills, I can feel a tinge of surprise and excitement when I see Inutaisho-sensei. My eyes drink him in. Thankfully, the pills keep my cheeks from flushing and jaw from dropping. He looks like quite the gentleman in his white suit and blue tie. He holds his jacket and briefcase in one hand as he regards me intently.

"What are you still doing at school?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Sensei. And don't give me that 'I work here' answer," I monotonously bite back.

"Hn, let me rephrase that. What have you been doing here?" he asks after narrowing his eyes.

"You could say I took a nap," I reply turning my gaze back to Libra. "Now your turn."

"You could say I work here," he says standing next to me. To my surprise the urge to scowl at him is tiny. "I saw your exchange with Haru, and after he left I went looking for you. I didn't see you leave campus. Three hours, and I gave up assuming you went home like the first time. But here you stand just as I make my way out."

"They say that when you give up looking for something it comes to you out of nowhere," I whisper mostly to myself.

"How are you getting home, Uematsu?"

"The usual way."

"It's dark out now and cold."

"You. Are. Not. Giving me a ride," I say as sternly as my drug induced body allows me to.

"Yes. I. Am. Let's go, Uematsu," he challenges me to defy him.

I feel only a small flicker of fear, but it is small enough to stomp out. I ignore his demand and head down the steps, which face a different direction from faculty parking. I make it to the front gates when thunder sounds and rain begins to fall. _"Story of my life."_ Instantly, a warm jacket covering my shoulders replaces the feeling of cold rain dropping on my body. I look up and see him smirking down at me with amusement dancing in his gold eyes. He holds the stem of an umbrella in his right hand, and he nods in the direction of his car. I glare up at him screaming in me head, _"You jerk! You made it rain on purpose! I don't know how you did it, and it sounds ridiculous… But you made it rain!"_ Against my better judgment, I follow his lead to the car standing close enough to him to be under the umbrella and far enough away to feel comfortable. He opens the passenger door for me, I get in, and I hand him back his jacket. He gets in, and we drive away from the school to our side of town.

I do not say a word to him and borderline curl up in my seat. I am thankful to the pills for still numbing all emotions. However, the effect is fading as now thoughts are finding their way into my head. I muse over how sickening it is that he would show me kindness after he stood me up. It makes me want to throw up the dead butterflies in my stomach. Luckily, I feel nothing with all of those thoughts because, even though I hate him right now, I would feel bad for ruining the pretty leather upholstery in his car.

He pulls up in front of my building, and I utter my appreciation without looking at him as I get out of his car.

"Happy belated birthday, Uematsu," I hear him say, and I freeze halfway out of his car.

"Thank you," my head turns slightly, but not enough to face him.

I gently close the door and walk up the steps to the entrance. Safely inside, I watch him drive away through the windows as I make my way to the stairwell.

I lie on my bed with my bottle of magic pills in hand and stare at its contents. _"What was that dream about?"_ I wonder to myself. I recognized the girls in street attire, and something tells me that I know the girls in frou-frou as well. Although I try to tell myself it was just a dream, my mind aches that there is a much deeper meaning. I place the bottle on my nightstand and get up from my bed to go about my usual routine.

The week flies by and halfway through October the students grow more serious about preparing for the Cultural Festival. Haru-kun has not approached me about music club since the day I returned to school. Just as Inutaisho-sensei dismisses us the door slides open before we leave our desks. In walks Shimizu-sensei, so down my throat swims another magic pill.

"Sesshomaru-kun, is it alright if we use your classroom for music club today? It's just for a few moments until they finish maintenance in the auditorium," I hear her say as everyone leaves the classroom. In my seat I am so focused on willing the pill to work faster that I do not notice the two figures that pressed their way through the exiting crowd.

"Oh, my!" I ghostly familiar voice exclaims just as I feel the pill kicking in. "Sakura, is that you?!"

"It is her!" another ghostly familiar voice declares.

I slowly raise my head to see Yumi and Takako making their way towards me. My eyes blink rapidly as they resemble more the girls in frou-frou in my dream than the ladies I created in my memories.

"How are you? Has it been longer than a year now?" Yumi happily questions as she reaches my desk.

Takako is next to me and she has me in an iron grip hug.

"You two clean up well," I calmly say and they look each other up and down before turning confused eyes on me.

"What are you talking about?" Takako asks loosening her grip around my neck.

"Last I heard, the two of you were sent to jail."

Now confused eyes are on me; including those of the two teachers and Haru-kun who still sits in his seat. Before I can open my mouth further, the door slides open and in rushes Yuzuki-sama who seems out of breath.

"You two," she eyes Yumi and Takako then turns her gaze to Shimizu-sensei. "And you… Sakura-chan, I need you to wait outside."

"But why? Looks like we're having a reunion in this room."

"Sakura-chan, wait outside. Doctor's orders," she presses and I get up. "Did you take your medicine?"

I nod my response and step out the door before sliding it close. Curious with what is about to happen in there, I place my head against a small crack between the door and doorframe. I quiet my breathing and focus on listening in.

"Yuzuki-sama, what is the meaning of this?" I vaguely hear Inutaisho-sensei question.

"It goes against my better judgment, but all of you must know because you have either very specific roles in Sakura-chan's life or you come into contact with her the most," she begins. "How can I make this short? Well, to the point. She has created a fantasy life in her mind to cover up the death of her parents. That is how she was able to pull herself together. Every now and then something will trigger her mind to remember her reality. That's why she has those episodes that three of you have witnessed. I heard that Yumi and Takako were coming here to assist in the Cultural Festival, so I made it down here as fast as I could. I knew she would be stunned to see the girls from her past not match the ones in her made up memories. Heh, in her memories the three of you were an all girl gang plus a boy named Kyo."

"That explains her odd comment," I hear Yumi say. "So how can we help her?"

"I have tried everything from hypnotherapy to coaching her through facing reality in our sessions. None have worked so far, and she always ends up convulsing until finally passing out. My only option left, before readmitting her, is having her take doses of a sedative. Myosotine. It blocks the feeling of all emotions and relaxes the muscles especially the heart. It also halts the brains ability to recall past events for the time being."

"That's what she was taking when Shimizu-sensei walked in," Haru-kun's voice reveals.

"It appears to work, but I still need your assistance."

"What can we do?" asks Shimizu-sensei.

"Hold her hand as she faces her reality. When her parents passed there was no one for her to lean on. In her mind, she was alone. She handled the loss by herself, and when you handle so many demons alone the only option you have is to run. She ran and hid in a world of her own imagination, but still her demons can find her. She needs the right team to face them."

There is a silent pause before anyone speaks.

"Takako, are you ready to bury a castle?" I finally hear Yumi challenge Takako.

"Got my shovel."

I smile inwardly at their reference to a foreign song we use to always listen to. A sob threatens to escape my lips as the pain of my reality breaks through. I stifle the sob just as Myosotine stifles the pain.

"So, Sakura-chan's new prescription: participation in the Cultural Festival with the Music Club," Yuzuki-sensei claps her hands. "Did you hear that clearly Sakura-chan?" _"Caught eavesdropping."_

I slide the door open as I down another magic pill. "Are they Doctor's orders?"

"Of course."

"Then what choice do I have?"

* * *

Hello all!

Thank you for sticking around for another chapter of Ensnared! Myosotine is a fake drug that I made up. Want to play a game? I will PM a spoiler alert to anyone who finds out where I got the name from. Hint: it's pretty damn ironic.

;) Be well!


	12. Playback's A Bitch

**Chapter 11: Playback's A Bitch**

My reflection in the window is rigid, but my body feels limp as I sit with my legs crossed outside of the circle formed by Yumi, Takako, Haru-kun, Shimizu-sensei, and the rest of the Music Club. Inutaisho-sensei is sitting at his desk speaking quietly with Yuzuki-sama. Every so often he glances up at me for a moment.

"For the Cultural Festival we should do something similar to what we did last year, Yumi-senpai," Haru-kun states excitedly. "It was so much fun, and an honor, to perform with Shikon Academy's Alumni."

"Oh, please! Pretty please!" a first year begs with her hands clamped together. "I want to be on stage with the legendary Gal Trio!"

I wince at her last plea, but no one notices. I feel a searing headache rip through my brain as memories fight the myosotine; hacking away at lobes as it forces itself to play. The discussion before me becomes background music as I place my palm against my forehead to help sooth the pain. A division of the medicine finally falls, and pictures play in my mind.

The three of us—Yumi, Takako, and myself—stand in the middle of a dance room facing a wall of mirrors. Along the bottom of the mirrors sit several other students watching us as we practice a dance to an upbeat and poppy song. It begins with me sitting at a piano, playing the keys as I sing a solo. At the end of the verse the music picks up, I get up and head to the center to stand between Yumi and Takako. The three of us sing in unison and slightly dance along with a several people around us. We each have our own solo, and after the last chorus is finished our performance ends. Our spectators erupt in applause as we all bow down hand-in-hand. My reflection in the mirror holds a wide grin looking purely happy. Our kohai along the mirror chant our nickname as a cheer, "Gal Trio! Gal Trio!" We bow once more then swap places with some who were sitting down. We smile on as our peers begin their own rehearsal.

As the memory comes to a close, my headache subsides. I remove my palm and look up to see Takako eyeing me with concern. I shake my head and unscrew the cap of my water bottle. I wave goodbye to Yuzuki-sama as she leaves; wondering in the back of my head what her and Inutaisho-sensei talked about.

"We got a lot done to today!" Haru-kun exclaims.

"An entire outline of our section at the Cultural Festival. Finished!" a first year adds on.

"Next meeting we just have to fine tune the details," says a second year with a familiar face.

"Perfect," Yumi says. "So tomorrow discuss amongst yourselves what needs to be worked on. Takako and I will see all of you on Friday."

"Do you two have the time to do so? What about your classes at the University?" Shimizu-sensei asks.

"We have plenty of time to help out," says Takako reassuringly. "Besides, we have even more motivation now…"

I fiddle with my water bottle as the Music Club exits the room. Yumi and Takako stay behind and move into desks closer to me.

"Sakura, how are you holding up?" Yumi asks placing her hand over mine. "You don't look well."

"I'm fine," I look up at both of them. "It's just going to take some time adjusting."

"Would you like to join us for dinner at the restaurant we use to go to?" Takako asks me.

"No," I shake my head and ignore another searing headache. "I'm sorry. I just want to go home and lay down."

They nod in understanding and stand up. I decline their offer to walk with me to the train station, and I remain seated as they leave the classroom. I let out an exasperated sigh while burying my head within my arms on the desk. I let the memory of us at the restaurant play in my head and watch in anticipation of what will unfold.

The three of us are seated at a corner booth in the restaurant awaiting the arrival of someone special. It is strange not envisioning my leather clad gang, but I am curious to see what the bubbly group is up to. The girls laugh as we scroll through pictures in a digital camera of a school trip.

"Remember to send those to me, Sakura!" Yumi says before taking a sip of her milkshake.

"I want copies, too!" Takako says.

Before I can respond the door to the restaurant opens and two figures stroll in, a man and a woman. They make their way to the table and I feel my heart wrench as I make out their faces.

I bolt upright from having my head on the desk and quickly forage for the orange bottle in my bag. Once my fingertips circle the plastic, I yank it out and quickly pop off the cap. I throw one pill in my mouth and chomp down on it with hope that breaking it down with my teeth first will make it work faster. My face twists with pain from the memory and disgust from the vile taste of the pill. I gulp water until the bottle is empty. The bottle drops to the floor and my hands clamp around my head. I try my hardest to keep the sobs that threaten to rack my body at bay until the medicine kicks in. Just as I begin to hyperventilate I hear the screech of a chair being dragged to my left. Strong arms encircle my body and pull me against an equally strong chest. I feel fingertips stroke my back as the arm around my waist holds me tighter. The pleasant smell of _Chrome_ fills my nose once my breathing calms down, and I look up to see Inutaisho-sensei.

His face is blank, emotionless, but when I look directly into his eyes I can see hints of compassion. In this instant, I feel comfort that I have not felt in a long time. I feel like I am not alone anymore. I feel warm. My head tilts down as I nuzzle into his chest. He does not pull away—like I thought he would—instead he places a hand on my head to hold me close. Somewhere along this event, a memory that threatened to tear me apart halts its playback. Maybe it plays in the back of my mind, but I am too distracted to pay attention. I am too busy reveling in Sesshomaru's embrace and breathing in his heady scent. His essence fills my lungs and warms my heart. I feel like a piece of him comes inside me with each breath, and it fills the empty holes that painfully ache to cave in.

I grimace when the pleasant feelings fade away as the myosotine kicks in. I press into his chest some more in hopes that I could chase back those feelings. They are out of reach when the drugs take full affect. I pull away letting out a defeated sigh, and I wish that I could feel the delight surface when his arms resist letting me go.

"Are you well now?" his calm voice asks me.

"Yeah, the medicine kicked in. I'm okay. What did you and Yuzuki-sama talk about?"

"That is a conversation for another time. I'll drive you home."

* * *

Hey guys!

Sorry this chapter is short. I just wanted to put something out since it's been over a week since my last update. I was hit on the head by a Writer's Block, so this is what little juice I managed to squeeze out...

But here's a soundtrack for the story! Please accept my peace offering :3

1. Never Get To Heaven - Sarah Blaine

2. Brick By Boring Brick - Paramore

3. Punching In A Dream - The Naked and Famous

4. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous

5. Toes - Lights

6. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5

7. State of Mind - Merril Bainbridge

8. Counting Stars - One Republic

9. Let Go - Frou Frou

10. Sirens - Cher Lloyd


	13. Tryst In The Tavern

**Chapter 12: Tryst in the Tavern**

"It's nearing 1800 hours. Have dinner with me," he says as he pulls out of the school parking lot.

I nod to his command and ask, "Do you think anyone has ever seen us leave the school together?"

"In case you haven't noticed, my car is always the only one left on campus save for those of the janitors. I'm sure they are more interested in their own affairs."

He speeds up on the on ramp and merges into the freeway. In contrast to my stiff posture when I first sat in his car, I stretch out my legs and lean my head against the window. My fingers trace the stitches that hold the leather seat together, and with nothing to talk about I focus on the effects of the myosotine. I bring into light different memories; still fascinated over the absolute rule I wield over the control panel in my mind. These images cannot play on their own accord. The auto-play switch is duct taped off allowing me to pause, stop, rewind, fast forward, and repeat with anesthetized emotions.

I will the images to move in my head and cautiously move from fabricated memories to ones I sealed away brick by brick. Every true vision—no matter if it was pleasant or distressing—makes me feel sadness in the end. I can only tell because I feel it strike at the protective shield making it crack then crumble and prick at my heart. I slowly regain feelings, and use what is left of the myosotine's strength to stop the playback. I bring my focus to the present: in Sesshomaru's car with him and heading somewhere for dinner, together. It is just the two of us.

By the time I start to feel giddy he parallel parks between two muscle cars from the United States.

"Take off your uniform."

"What?" I ask dumbfounded.

"Your school uniform blazer. Take it off," he pauses and smirks at my stunned expression, "and wear this."

He holds out his coat. I mentally face-palm as I realize that I am still in school uniform and about to grab dinner with my teacher. I look down to hide my burning cheeks as I slip off my blazer and pull on his coat. He quietly chuckles at my refusal to look at him while I turn and face the door.

"I'll get the door for you," he says to me when I reach for the handle.

I pull my hand back and watch him exit and round the car to the passenger side. He opens the door offering me his hand to help me out. I look at it inquisitively before finally placing my hand in his when he raises his eyebrows at me. The last stand of myosotine is defeated when a melting pot of emotions hit me because he does not release my hand once I am out. The emotions escalate when his grip tightens at my struggle to unclasp our palms. I just let it be as he leads me down the sidewalk and into a quiet tavern.

Although the place is nearly full with people the noise level remains low. The hostess from the station at the left of the door leads us to a booth in the back of the room when Sesshomaru asks for a private spot. I slide into the seat across from him and look out on the tavern. The walls are painted a deep brown color to give the place a dim but cozy feeling. Small lights are aimed at places of interest such as tables and pictures. Behind the bar is a wall of various liquors that are evenly spaced atop glass shelves and illuminated from behind by a glowing yellow panel. A waitress comes to take our order smiling brightly at Sesshomaru and looking upon me with resentment. I give her an honest smile in return acting oblivious to her hateful eyes. I pray that my kindness gives her a reason to not sneeze on my salad and stick her tongue in my water after she leaves.

"From here I can tell if she will sabotage your dinner," Sesshomaru coolly responds after reading my mind.

"But would you tell me, I wonder."

"It wounds me that you think I would be so dishonorable."

"I'm sure it does. It's written all over your face."

"I see that your medicine has worn off."

"I see that you're back to playing this game."

I finally manage to look him in the eyes with raw hurt in my own. He looks at me impassively, and just when he opens his mouth to speak the waitress comes back with our drinks.

"Water for the lady, and Syrah for the gentleman."

Much to her displeasure, Sesshomaru ignores her and continues to stare at me. I kindly thank her for the drinks, and she finally softens a little bit for me. _"Yes, I am dealing with an asshole. Can you have him? No, he's my asshole."_ She leaves after telling us our food will be done in a moment, and then I turn my attention back to Asshole-sensei.

"So, Asshole-sensei," my eyes briefly widen when that comes out. _"Good job, Mind-to-Mouth Filter."_

His eyebrows rise in amusement, and one corner of his mouth quirks up signaling for me to continue. I clear my throat and fold my hands over the table, "What are your intention with me?"

He takes a sip of his wine without taking his eyes off me before responding, "My intentions?"

"Yes, what are your intentions with me this time?"

"This time?"

I roll my eyes at his mock innocence before looking back at him, "Unlike many girls my age, I refuse to play games. It is a waste of my time, and you can never know when you will run out…" I trail off. "So if you will accompany me to the point that would be great."

"Uematsu, you are a diamond among rhinestones."

"And you are a thorn at my side as of right now. Do you want anything to do with me, or are you just bored waiting for someone more interesting to come along? I can't predict what you are going to do next, and it's like I'm blindfolded in a dicey tango with you; stuck to follow as you lead on. Don't give me that blank stare like you have no clue what I am talking about. First, you stalk me. Then, you tease me. After, you take me out. Next, you blow me off. Finally, you ignore me. And now you're back to being tender with me. It's like a cycle minus the stalking. Unless, you have been following me around which I wouldn't put below you."

I bite my lip once I finish my rant.

"Don't cry, Uematsu. This is nothing to be sad about."

"My eyes aren't watering because I'm sad! They're watering because I'm frustrated!" I blink away my _frustrated_ tears. "Or are you being like this now because of my Doctor's orders?"

It is a small thought, but I am worried that he is acting like this because Yuzuki-sama said something to enforce it. The timing does fit, however.

He sighs before answering, "Your therapist did say that she noticed you relax during one of your episodes when I held you in my arms. She asked if there was anything going on between us after promising to not report it. Yuzuki-sama must care about you a great deal to put your well being before moral standards. I didn't tell her that we've seen each other a few times outside of school. I've led her to believe that you've grown comfortable around me for being the teacher of your favorite subject."

"She's very cunning. There's actually a 96% chance that she saw right through you. She is a therapist after all; reading people like headlines is what she has doctorates in."

"I can be very convincing."

"I've figured that out," I spit back.

We engage in a tense glaring contest that is finally broken when the waitress arrives with our food. Sesshomaru does not move a muscle, but I turn to thank her. She smiles back to me, and I know that I have won her over. After she leaves, I turn my attention back to the angry version of Michelangelo's David. I square my shoulders and prepare to fire more bouts of fury.

"I cannot fathom why you are so upset," he begins before I could. "You gave me your answer after I took you out to dinner. You rejected me and then you sought my attention. You claim that you refuse to play games."

"I wasn't playing a game. I needed a moment to cool off after you pissed me off. It was our first date and you decided to move too fast after being an asshole after dinner."

"Heh," he chuckles more to himself with his eyes closed. "I was angry because I felt jealous towards my associate. You just met him that evening and he got to kiss you before I did. It may have just been on your hand, but regardless his lips touched your skin before mine." He slowly opens his eyes to look at me. "Jealousy is a petty emotion that I haven't felt since I was a boy, and no woman has ever made me jealous before. I made a rash decision in order to put myself at ease."

I cannot help myself but feel giddy that I am able to spark jealousy in him; a feat that no other woman has accomplished. I look down and draw my lips between my teeth to stifle a grin. Regaining control over myself, I look back up at him with my lips pursed. I stir my water with the black straw as I figure out how to word my next question.

"Well, that sheds light on one thing, but why didn't you come over that day?"

He releases a sigh before taking another sip of his wine. Finally, he answers: "There was plenty riding on that evening; a challenge that I was ready to rise up to. I planned on sweeping you off your feet like a gentleman, and going at your pace this time. I made arrangements with people I know at the Museum of Art and Science to have the place open late for just the two of us. When I saw you there months ago you picked specific areas to spend time in, but you still seemed rushed. It was evident that there was so much more you wished to see. I wanted to grant that wish for you, and we would've headed there after dinner. Unfortunately, I ran into trouble upon leaving my place…"

"What happened?" I ask eager to know the cause of ruin to what would have been a perfect night.

"My ex broke into my building. She threatened to expose you and I if I didn't take her back."

It takes a moment (and a few flutters of my eyelids) to finally understand what he just said.

"But… How does she know?"

* * *

Hello!

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I loved writing it! At 5 in the morning... Over one cup of coffee... On four hours of sleep... Haha, just kidding! I truly enjoyed writing this one even though the former is 100% true.

Special thanks to Kitty Nikole for being the first to review! This chapter is dedicated to you, my friend! :)

Be well!


	14. Try Again

**Chapter 13: Try Again**

"But… How does she know?" I cautiously ask.

Sesshomaru's lips quirk up into a small smile, and he looks down at his dinner that is getting cold.

"I spent that night figuring it out," he begins. "When Sara showed up on my doorstep with a smug smile across her face I knew that she was about to stir up problems. She tossed photos on the table of a student getting out of my car hours after school had ended. She was in your neighborhood for a confidante's party, and immediately took out her phone when she recognized my license plate. It was the day you fell asleep in class and slept until I finally woke you up. People would have come up with their own assumptions as to what happened in those four hours. That is all that is needed to end my career as a teacher, tarnish the reputation of the academy, and set you up for failure in the future. My career as a teacher was the least of my worries as I have something larger to fall back on, but I had to protect you and the school. My dinner is getting cold, and I can hear your stomach growling from over here. I'll finish after we eat."

So we finish our dinner in silence. I can feel his eyes on me as I keep my head down and pick at my salad. We finish and then the waitress clears our plates. Sesshomaru asks for another glass of wine to keep us in the booth while he finishes his story.

"How did you do it?" I ask him. "How did you manage to protect me and the academy?"

"I tore the photos into pieces, but that doesn't amount to much in this digital era," he chuckles to himself. "Sara threatened me further with the originals she has saved on her phone, but she doesn't know much about me. Immediately, I phoned someone I trust who was able to hack into the system and delete all the traces. She became errant after her threats had no affect on me. I reminded her of the little piece of my private life that she knew about when we dated. That little piece can and will very well eject her and her family out of Japan." A prideful smile graces his face before he continues, "She had a meltdown after she realized how foolish she was to threaten me. Unfortunately her meltdown took up the rest of my time, and you don't have a phone so I couldn't get a hold of you. The only way was to stop by your place personally, but after Sara's recent stunt it appeared more appropriate to lie low."

"Where do we go from here?" I ask him. In my heart I know that he is more than just my teacher. I also know that my days would be bland without these moments outside of the school where I can get him to ramble on and see him in a different setting.

"I already know where I want to go," he smirks at me. "It is up to you if you wish to accompany me."

I turn my gaze away from him as I sort through my thoughts. I cannot look at him and try to think. It is just not possible because my mind will only focus on him and not the matters at hand. It is truly foolish; the choice I am about to make, but I have nothing to lose should our cover get blown. As a matter of fact, I could lose the one person who I want to be with, who has ignited life back into me, if I choose to not take the risk. I have decided.

"I will accompany you, Sesshomaru," I say looking directly into his eyes. "But only after you apologize for abandoning me that night and being an idiot for waiting this long to tell me."

"Idiot?" his lips form the word with a raised eyebrow. _"Swallow that pride of yours."_

"Yes," I nod, "and you have to use that word in the apology."

"You are a demon who wants her pound of flesh."

I step into my apartment feeling lighthearted as I close then lock the door. I go to change out of my uniform to find that I still don Sesshomaru's coat, and I have left my blazer in his car. My eyes are fixed on the woolly material with several different thoughts going through my mind. Slowly, my hands raise the piece of menswear to my face and I catch whiffs of _Chrome_ by Azzaro. I hug the garment to my chest while a mischievous smile splits across my face.

In double time, I strip down to nothing but my lingerie: lacy red bra and panties to be exact. Then I tug on his coat and wrap my arms around myself. I revel in the feel of the material caressing my skin for a moment. After I regain myself, I move to put the discarded clothes away and catch a glimpse of my reflection in the windows. For added affect, and to feel that much more like a temptress, I tousle my hair while I cross the room to my desk to begin my homework. The whole time I still have Sesshomaru's coat wrapped around my barely covered body.

By the time I finish my homework someone knocks on my door. My head suspiciously jerks to the entrance and then the clock as I wonder who it could be. _"It's a little past 2100 hours…"_ I quietly step to the door and stand on the balls of my feet to peek through the peephole. _"It's… Sesshomaru?! Shit!"_ In a panic, I back away from the door.

"Be there in a minute!" I call out as I frantically search for a garment to replace his coat.

Profanities run through my head as I yank open the drawers to my dresser. I nearly stumble as I pull on shorts and a t-shirt while I make my way back to the door. I manage to run into the corner of the kitchen island and give out a loud thud that, without a doubt, was heard on the other side. With my hand pressed against the spot on my hip that was struck I reach for the door and stifle all winces.

"Hello, Sesshomaru. What brings you here?" I smile to cover the agonizing pain in my hip once I get the door open.

"You left this in my car. I know you will need it tomorrow, so I came here to bring it back to you," he says holding out my blazer. "Are you well?"

"Yes, I just hip-checked myself on the island," I say with a gasp knowing fully that I cannot hide anything. "I have your coat. Let me get it for you."

I leave him standing in the doorway to retrieve his coat from where I tossed it in my frenzy to get dressed. It takes a moment, but eventually I notice it strewn over the flat screen television.

"Interesting place to keep the belongings of others that you have commandeered," his voice startles me coming from my couch. "Was it placed noticeably there so that you would remember to bring it later, or perhaps—?"

"It was thrown there so that I would remember," I interrupt him and he smirks back. "It's late. Why are you getting so comfortable?" I ask as I take a seat next to him.

"If that is how you feel then I shall leave."

"No, wait!" I surprise the both of us by grabbing his arm with both of my hands.

With a raised eyebrow and an amused smile he sits back down. Then he crosses one leg over the other knee and waits for me to continue.

"Umm… It's dangerous to drive late at night when you could be tired…?" I mentally backhand myself after I blurt those words out.

"What are you suggesting then, Uematsu?" he says with a salacious half-smile that makes the blood rush through my veins.

"Ummm…. Want to stay and watch a movie with me?"

"A movie this late?" he chuckles. "After which I will surely be tired, and at that point will you send me away?"

"Precisely," I say to him with a smile. Then I get up to find a movie for us to watch.

"Sesshomaru, why do you still call me Uematsu?" I ask as the previews play on the screen.

"You haven't asked me to otherwise," he simply stays. "Do you prefer I call you by your first name?"

"If you don't that would suggest that you don't feel as close to me as you want me to feel towards you. You asked me to call you by your first name—outside of school—a while ago."

"I see. Very well then, _Sakura_," he says my name like it is a magic spell, and I find myself further enchanted.

I cannot recall when it happened, but it had to have been somewhere between a street race between two lovers and a tank being unleashed onto a freeway. Between those points in the movie I dozed off, and now my eyes are fluttering open as my head rests on Sesshomaru's lap. My eyes adjust to my surroundings while I feel his fingers running through my hair. At this point I just want to go back to sleep. Well, not really. I want to stay in this moment fully conscious and aware of what is going on. My tired eyes watch the pictures move on the screen, and I fight to keep them open.

"If you wish to sleep, then sleep," his smooth voice breaks through the many blasts coming from the T.V.

"What if you're gone when I wake up?"

"Are you asking me to stay the night?"

"If you take away the bush for me to beat around, then yes," I mumble while turning over so that I face his body. With my eyes closed, I nestle into his lap.

"Stay the night and return to work tomorrow unwashed and wearing the same suit from today, or risk disturbing the sleeping form of an angel," he ponders.

"You can shower here in the morning," I hopefully suggest.

"Trying to put the odds in your favor? I admire your efforts."

"If you're going to fight it," I sigh, "then feel free to head home now."

"I'm just teasing you. I will stay the night if you want me to."

"So it's settled," I say getting up. "Don't move. I'll grab a pillow and blanket for you."

"You're having me sleep on the couch?" he asks taken aback.

"Well, yeah. Where did you think you were going to sleep?" I respond with a smirk.

I grab the spare blanket from the linen closet and an extra pillow from my bed. I place the items on the couch next to Sesshomaru. Then, I turn away from him to put the movie away and shut off the T.V. When the screen goes black I cannot help but freeze at the site of his reflection. His dress shirt is off leaving only a cotton tank that molds around each well-defined and toned muscle. I will my body to move to the bookcase before he can catch me staring. The sound of his belt coming off makes me blush, and I try to hide my face as I head for my bed.

"Goodnight, Sakura," he says while turning off the light on the end table. I am thankful for the darkness clouding our vision when the rustling of him taking his pants off draws out an embarrassed grin on my reddened face.

"Goodnight, Sesshomaru," I mumble barely loud enough to be heard or else the girlish giggles will escape my mouth. "Hang on, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"What is that little piece of your private life that frightened your ex: Sara?"

"My family," he hesitates to tell me, "Let's just say my family employs her and several others in her family. Go to sleep, Sakura. It's very late now."

* * *

Hello all!

Thanks to all of you, this story has broken 1,000 views! I would like to give a shout out to Meyome2012 for being the second person to review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Until next time, my friends!


	15. Nightmare

**Chapter 14: Nightmare**

I wake up to find that I am not in my studio apartment. My surroundings have changed to forgotten walls from a life that I have left behind. The pastel blue walls of my old room are dirty with dust and cobwebs. The sun does not shine through the window. I peek out the glass to find that it is cloudy and the sky threatens the coming of a storm. I turn my back to the window and head for the door. The manor I remembered to be warm and lively is now dark, cold, and quiet. Making my way to the staircase, I call out to anyone who is here with me. No answer. As if on autopilot, I find myself heading for the front door even though I wish to explore the manor. The door opens and leads to my old homeroom. All of the students are seated with their heads down so that I cannot see their faces. I walk down the center aisle and take a seat at my old desk in the center of the room. After waiting patiently, Shimizu-sensei walks into the classroom wearing a black dress and black veil. Looking around in confusion, I realize that everyone is dressed in black; but I am wearing what looks to be a white hospital gown.

"The Uematsu family is one that I will always remember," Shimizu-sensei begins at the front of the classroom, "Itchiro-sama and Chitose-sama were a power couple, but unlike most they were kind hearted and always made time for their daughter. Sometimes I would wonder when they found time to rest between running their law firm and attending the various events Sakura was involved in. Whether it was piano recitals, performances put on by the Music Club, quiz-offs, or charity events; her parents always made certain to be there. Sakura was one of the star students at this school. An exceptional role model: many of her younger peers looked up to her like a heroine."

Shimizu-sensei finished and steps down from the front of the room. The phantom student next to me gets up from the desk and seemingly floats to the front. They turn around, and I see Yumi's face. At that moment I feel a leather belt-like strap wrap around my waist.

"It was my first year of high school when I joined the Music Club and met Sakura. She was sitting at the piano playing to herself as we all shuffled in. She was so skilled that I became captivated and found myself next to her watching as her fingers pressed on each key. I thought she would be annoyed with me gawking at her like a fan girl, but she wasn't. She smiled her bright trademark smile to me for the first time and immediately asked to hear my life story. That same day she invited me over to her house for dinner like we have been friends for a long time. I obliged and soon found myself listening to her play the guitar on her porch as her mother made dinner. Her father brought us milk and cookies, and he made us promise to not tell her mother. I was so stressed about coming to Shikon Academy. None of my friends got in, so I was alone and knew that mostly everyone who came here previously went to Shikon Junior High and Shikon Elementary. I feared that I wouldn't fit into any of the already formed cliques, but I never felt like I belonged more than when I was with Sakura."

She looks down, wiping tears from her eyes. And fades away as she moves from her place at the front of the classroom. I feel more straps wrap around my ankles, and look down at them with wide eyes.

"I transferred to Shikon Academy at the start of the second term during my first year. I sat behind Sakura, who always forgot to bring her lunch but always remembered her homework," I look up to see Takako at the front now. She is wearing a black dress with lacy sleeves. "In the middle of homeroom her mother would knock on the door, immaculately dressed in a suit with lunchbox in hand, and give a forgiving wave and smile to her daughter. I thought that it was inappropriate to drop off such items to your kid's classroom, but Mama Bear had to make sure for herself that her daughter would not go without a meal. Sakura definitely stuck out from the rest of Shikon's female students. She carried herself with the same gracefulness and poise as a princess, but she remained as humble as a farmer. She is… Was… Without a doubt her parents daughter."

Takako takes a step back and fades just as another strap snakes its way around my shoulders. I panic with so many questions running through my mind. _"Why am I being referred to in the past tense? What is the meaning of these straps? How is everyone fading away?"_ The sound of a male clearing his throat calls for my attention to the front of the room. Kyo leans against the blackboard and readies himself.

"I loved Sakura since the very first day of school," he begins running his hand through his bleached hair, "her locker was across from mine, so I would slip notes through the vents. I would write her encouraging words when she seemed stressed, let her know how beautiful I thought her smile was when she looked sad, and I would write about how one day I would have the courage to reveal myself. That day came by surprise when she caught me slipping a note into her locker. I thought that a girl as popular as her would tease and laugh at me. She politely smiled at me, but turned down my advances reasoning that she knows only my name and nothing more about me. It didn't stop there. She invited me to join her and her friends for lunch in the courtyard every lunch hour. She waited until we were on a comfortable level to reveal that she was actually terror-stricken by my notes," Kyo chuckles. "She laughed that all of the foreign crime shows she watched made her paranoid about those kinds of things—stalkers—to the point that she couldn't be flattered. That didn't bother me as I found that I developed amorous feelings for her friend Yumi, and my love for Sakura revealed itself to be only on a sibling level. She was very encouraging about that and would sometimes call me Onii-san as I am older than her by a couple months. She would also push Yumi and I together whenever we would hangout outside of school. Sakura always wanted to make other's happy."

Kyo fades away and another figure steps up. I find myself to be so astonished by this person that the leather strap wrapping around my arms almost goes unnoticed. I gape at the girl in the front with her eyes brimmed with tears. _"Minami…?"_

"My first assignment given to me by my Kohai in the Newspaper Club was to report on a concert held by the Music Club," she says while holding back tears. "That is when I first set eyes on Sakura-sama. You see, my parents are always working, and my older brother is always mean to me. All my life I wished that I had a big sister who would guide me, so that I wouldn't have to pave the trail as I walked it. My breath was taken away during her performance. She was so beautiful, so graceful, and so talented. She was like a real life pop star that went to my school. I abandoned my original assignment and snuck backstage to interview my new idol. I was nervous that she would shrug me off, being busy with the show and all. But she flashed me a gorgeous smile, took my hand, and lead me to her dressing room. She got ready for the next set while answering my questions and showed no irritation that I wasn't prepared. When she was done she turned around and caught me staring enviously at her makeup box. She didn't smirk or give me a haughty remark, instead she plopped me in front of the mirror and proceeded to dust on eye shadow and blush then paint my lips. She began to ask me questions about my life while she combed and curled my hair. Before I left she asked for my name and what homeroom I was in. The next day I found a makeup bag in my locker fully stocked with brand new products from the higher end. She even gave me new brushes and a note telling me to ask her if I need any tips. I was blown away by such kindness that it brought me to my knees. I cried ignoring the stares around me. I found the older sister that I was looking for, and she was everything I missed."

"Wait, I'm not done yet!" Minami shouts at a figure that wishes to take her place at the front. "After that I went to every event put on by the Music Club to cheer for my sister. I also cheered her on during academic competitions held within the school that would decide who would represent our academy when the schools would go head-to-head. I went to cheer for her at those events even though some would be across town or in the next city over. My brother would always make fun out of me and say that I am a nuisance to Sakura-sama. I denied what he said, but deep down I was afraid that he was right. She was always busy with school, extracurricular activities, and her friends. I couldn't be selfish by taking her away from things that were in her life before me, so I made myself scarce. I admired her from a distance and that was enough. Knowing my kind big sister was around if I needed her was all I needed to make it through."

My heart wrenches as tears roll down her cheeks. A headache racks my brain as I remember the adorable first-year I met a couple years ago sneaking around backstage. I could see the excitement in her eyes when she saw what I was going to do to her in my makeup chair. She told me about how her brother would call her ugly and dull-faced, and how her mother became mad when she touched her makeup box. She said her parents would not buy her a set of her own on grounds of it being unnecessary for a girl her age who should be focusing on school, but they were not around when her brother and his friends called her ugly. Hearing her story made me really sad inside, so after the show I stopped by the shopping center half an hour before they closed and bought her everything I thought she would like with the allowance I saved for months. _"She is adorable. She does not see it now, but if wearing makeup can help boost her confidence until she realizes it then bring on the haul,"_ I remember thinking to myself as I scanned the aisles. She appeared at every one of my events after receiving my gift. I remember seeing less of her over the year, and I only briefly wondered why. At the time, I guessed that she made some new friends and was busy with them. I thought positively over her disappearance.

"But you abandoned me!" the tear choked statement makes my head jerk up. "You left me and I needed you!" Minami points a shaking finger at me as sobs slowly bring her to her knees. I want to get up from the chair and go to her, but the straps get tighter as I struggle. Soon, I am being pulled back as the chair morphs into a gurney. Minami's cries: "I needed you! I needed you…" fade into silence.

"You must let them all go now, Sakura. You're dead to the world at this point," I look in the direction of the voice to see Yuzuki-sama rolling me up a brick path.

"No! Take me back," I plead. "I have to see them! I have to be with them!"

"The time for that has passed, Sakura-chan. This is real life and there are no do-overs," she sighs as she rolls me past a gate and into a stonewalled fortress. "You did not realize that your parents weren't the only ones who loved you. Many others needed you, but you chose to hide from them. Here in your castle, you hid from them."

"The castle keeps me safe, Yuzuki-sama! You know that!"

"It protects you from what you deem as bad, yes. But it also keeps the good from getting to you. Good and bad come walking up to you hand-in-hand. Bad will attack and hack away at your weak points. The experience you take away from the attack, what you have learned, is what you use to rebuild your armor to make you stronger. The strength that you come out with is Good."

Yuzuki-sama waves goodbye to me as the castle doors shut with her on the other end. A man walks into my line of site. He is wearing white scrubs, a white cap, and a white facemask. I cease my struggling against the leather straps when he moves to undo them. Once I am free I make a break for the doors. I yank on the handles and beat my fists against the wood to force them open. They do not budge.

"You have been hiding in here for too long now," the man clad in white says from behind me. "You have missed your chances to strengthen yourself, and now the bad that is heading your way will tear you apart. Forget who you once were and hide within your castle. You will be safe."

At his words, I fall to my knees and wrap my arms around myself. Tears stream down my face and the cold and heavy weight of loneliness settles on my back. I rock back and forth mumbling incoherently.

* * *

"Sakura! Sakura! Wake-up, Sakura! It's just a nightmare!"

My eyes finally open, and through my tears I can make out light and the familiar silhouette of my liberator. I find that I can move freely; my body does what I ask it to with no restraints. My hands move to wipe away the tears that cloud my vision, but his warm hands beat me to it. With my vision finally cleared, I rejoice at the site of Sesshomaru and just about leap into his arms without any hesitation. I sob into the crook of his neck for moments while he gently rubs my back.

"What time is it?" I manage to say after calming down.

"0300 hours. Do you need for me to retrieve your medicine?"

"No, thank you. If I take it before sleeping it makes me feel sluggish after waking up," I say to him then think to myself, _"It also brings about strange dreams, and dreaming is the last thing I want to do right now."_

"Are you going to be well?" he frowns at me.

"This is going to be significantly out there, but will you sleep next to me for the rest of the night?" I do not feel guilty or like a tramp by asking this from him; I feel that I will rest easier if he does.

He nods his answer to me, and I scoot closer to the wall to make room for him. He climbs in next to me and shuts the light off. Tentatively, I curl up at his side with my head resting on his chest. I concentrate on the feel of his fingers soothingly drawing patterns on my back until I fall asleep.

* * *

Hi!

Two updates in one week? Awww-yeeeaaah! Thank you to my third reviewer, Loving Neko! You guys have no idea how much I appreciate the feedback. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I wanted to make it really good as a thank you to all reviewers, followers, and those who favorited my story.

See you next time!


	16. Trust Your Struggle

**Chapter 15: Trust Your Struggle**

The sound of the cabinet doors calls me from my sleep. I frown when my arms reach out to an empty space then I open my eyes. The feeling in my apartment is different; the polar opposite of the feeling I got when I opened my eyes to my nightmarish old bedroom. I hear more sounds coming from my kitchen and avert my eyes in that direction. The muscles on my face perform the first stretch of the day as an unstoppable smile has me beaming brighter than the morning sun. Sesshomaru is comfortably making his way about my kitchen. His hair is damp from a shower, and his tie is hanging undone on his neck. My face flushes, and I am a deer in the headlights when he turns around to reveal that his white dress shirt is unbuttoned, revealing his perfectly sculpted torso. I quickly turn my head so that my hair falls on my face when he looks in my direction.

"Sakura, are you awake?" he asks, and I watch through my hair as his head cocks to the side.

I do not respond, and he slowly walks over to the side of my bed. He has a bag of ground coffee in hand.

"Sakura, you're going to make the both of us late if you don't get up," he says and waves the open bag under my nose.

"Alright, I'm up. Where's your undershirt?"

"Someone drooled all over it last night. I had to discard it," he responds with a smirk and turns around.

I chuck a pillow at his back then hop out of bed. After my shower, I dress in the bathroom and walk to the kitchen island where Sesshomaru places a cup of coffee in front of me. Unfortunately, his shirt is now buttoned up all the way. He sits adjacent to me and eyes me intently with his lips molding to the edge of his mug.

"Umm, can I help you?" I ask him with slight irritation.

"What was your nightmare about?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now," I sigh. "That's not how I want to start my day."

"Understandable. Just answer this for me: Do you often have nightmares?"

I stir the cream and sugar into my morning perk as I think about his question.

"In all honesty I do, but none of them were that intense. Often times, I know that I'm dreaming, but this one was different. It felt so real, and I couldn't will myself to wake up like I normally can."

"Interesting. Will you tell me about it all later?"

"If you insist. I guess."

Sesshomaru drops me off at the train station to create the illusion that I took public transportation to school. I walk the couple blocks to the academy and ready my mind for the usual routine of first hitting the lockers, walking to homeroom, and sitting through the scheduled classes. I feel like I hit a wall by the end of the day when Haru-kun loops his arm around mine and walks me to the auditorium. _"Honestly, I wasn't going to skip out on Music Club!"_ I think as he nearly drags me through the double doors.

Everyone is seated on or around the stage. Shimizu-sensei is perched comfortably on a theater chair to observe. She smiles brightly when we make eye contact.

"Now that everyone is here, shall we start?" the familiar face says once Haru-kun and I take our seats.

"So, we are going to perform five songs for the Cultural Festival. Have we decided on a set list?" Haru-kun asks the small group.

"We're going to cover songs, right? The Cultural Festival is in two weeks. That's nowhere near enough time to write, compose, and rehearse. That's also cutting it very close to even do covers!" says a second-year boy.

"Yes, we are going to cover. Besides, I believe that more people will be interested when they hear songs they are familiar with," responds Haru-kun.

"Are our Alumni's going to perform the song we open with? Do we have to pick that one out?"

"I spoke with Yumi-senpai this morning," says familiar face, "She said that she already has a song picked out for her, Takako-senpai, and Sakura-senpai."

"I'm technically not an Alumni," I state while straightening up my body, "and I would be better working in the back and nowhere near the front of the stage."

"Sakura-senpai," familiar face begins to plead, "please, our hopes are on opening our show with the performance that made the newspapers two years ago when-"

"Isuzu-san, let's just focus on our end of the show," Haru-kun interrupts her.

The familiar face that is now known as Isuzu retracts herself, and the group begins to pick out songs that they have played with from the beginning of the year until now. No one notices as I slip away from the group and sit on the stairs that lead to the stage. _"Two years ago when I was at my prime,"_ I nostalgically muse to myself and lean against the railing. My wistful eyes fall onto the group as they happily plan out the mini concert. Haru-kun and a girl from another third year class grin from ear to ear when the group nominates them to perform a love song duet, and a tinge of pink graces the girl's cheeks. They pick out more songs and performers; by the end of the day everyone knows what they need to rehearse and what their duties are. By the end of the day, the dose of myosotine I had to take is in full affect.

Like on autopilot, I follow as the club leaves the auditorium. Shimizu-sensei walks next to me, and I nod at her gentle words that I do not really hear. My mind is focused on the vision that plays: Yumi, Takako, and myself are standing in the living room at my old home. The furniture has been pushed into the hall so that we have an open dance floor. We practice a routine. During our rehearsal we are mostly serious, but we fool around here and there. When we are serious about rehearsal for the last time, the room morphs into the very auditorium I was just in. Now, the place is full of people. I cannot see them, but I can hear their cheers echo off the walls. Every turn I make, I see the flashing of cameras that leaves my vision spotted. In spite of that, I gracefully move and my voice does not falter. If I could feel right now, I would feel joy and excitement. I would feel exhilaration from performing in front of a large crowd, and I would feel pleasure that they are awed by our performance. Deep down in my heart, I wish I could feel all of that again. Then plays the last part of that memory. The part that makes me glad I cannot feel a thing.

The three of us are off the stage. We stand in the hall as people swarm in and out of the auditorium. Many of them cheer at us as they walk by. Then a couple makes their way towards us, and my heart wrenches a bit. The familiar glasses and tousled hair of the man fish for the tears hiding under the sheet of icy myosotine, and the woman's long platinum hair so much like my own and joyful smile manages to draw one out as I stand in front of my locker while the memory plays. The woman is holding a video camera in one hand and records the whole thing. The man walks up to the three of us carrying himself like a reporter.

"Congratulations, ladies, on a stunning performance for this year's Japan Record Awards," says the man holding a large hairpin with a pink cherry blossom on the end to act as his microphone. "What does it feel like to have the number one single in all of the country?"

"We feel very happy that so many people like our song and find joy in the music," Yumi playfully says into the man's 'microphone'.

"The three of you, Gal Trio, are the new kids on the block [so to speak]," the man says pulling his microphone back. "Did making it all this way come easy?"

"There were long nights of practice, and not enough coffee," Takako jokes. "Now that we have a small break before our first tour I think I will spend it sleeping!"

"Catching up on much needed rest; a splendid idea! How about you, quiet one. What would you say to young girls who aspire to be famous pop stars?"

"I would tell them that things get difficult," I say into the man's microphone, "but always trust your struggle."

He gives a prideful smile to my answer, "I wonderful word of advice, indeed."

The woman flips close the pop-out screen of the video camera and beams brightly at us.

"There is still some time left. Would you girls like to see what your classmates have put together before it's too late?" she asks as she puts the camera back into the bag slung over her shoulders.

"Yes! Kyo's cooking club has four entire banquet tables set up in the cafeteria!" Yumi exclaims.

"I saw his brightly bleached hair in the crowd as we performed! He must've snuck away to watch us," Takako adds. "Let's go see him!"

The three of us turn to make our way to the cafeteria with the man and woman following close behind.

"Anata, now that you are finished interviewing our daughter may I have back the hairpin she gave me before you lose it?"

"Ah, you mean my microphone?"

"Yes, that is what I mean. All equipment must be packed away together so that nothing is lost."

The playback ends and I find myself crumpled against the lockers. I blink a few times and the dried traces of tears come to me as a surprise. _"I didn't even know they were falling."_ I quickly change out of my school slippers and grab my bag. Slightly sluggish, I make the trek home.

It is 1800 hours by the time I reach my building. I am greeted by two beings sitting in the lobby.

"How did you find me?" I ask defensively.

"Yuzuki-sama gave us your address as part of your new orders from the doctor," Yumi cheerfully says while wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

"We have some practicing to do," adds Takako before changing composure. "Have you been crying?"

"That's not important right now. What do you mean we have some practicing to do?" I quickly change the subject.

"We are the opening act for the Music Club!" they reply in unison.

With no other choice, I lead them up to my apartment. After taking off their shoes they scramble about the place excitedly pointing things out. I smile at the joy they radiate while I put my things away.

"So what do you gals have in store for me?" I ask curling up on the couch.

"There are two songs we will perform before our kohai go on. We have one picked out already, but the other is still up in the air," replies Yumi as she takes a seat next to me.

"What song did you guys pick out?" I ask successfully masking the shakiness in my voice.

"Real Emotion by Kumi Koda! Remember when Kyo and I would not stop playing that video game?" Yumi says excitedly.

"Yeah, you two even cosplayed as Yuna and Tidus and got professional photos done," Takako happily recollects. "Which Yuna were you again?"

"I was Final Fantasy X Yuna. Mom and dad would have locked me up if I ran around dressed as X-2 Yuna!"

"Remember when we got blue tinted lights to use in Sakura's green house to make it look like Macalania for your shoot?"

"Oh, those were harder to find than I thought they would be!"

They reminisce for a while longer until the shaking of my pill bottle draws their attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sakura. Are we upsetting you?" Yumi asks me with concerned eyes.

"No, no. Go on. Please. I should hear things like this."

"Then, why are you about to take one of your pills?" Takako asks.

"Sometimes… Sometimes it's hard to look back. These help."

"But should you be taking them so much? Aren't you worried about becoming addicted?"

"Sakura, you can be very compulsive. Remember the ice cream buffet we went to during our trip to Tokyo?" Yumi asks with a raised eyebrow.

I fit of giggles escape from me along with tears. _"Such bittersweet memories…"_

"How could I forget? That was the best night ever. Until I got a sugar migraine."

"We kept making you drink water to help dilute it, but you kept saying nothing else is going in there," Takako laughs.

"Everyone else on the trip with us were so astonished when you wanted to go back after you got better. Takako and I had to regulate your portions!"

The three of us laugh. Tears slip out of my eyes that are mixed with joy and sadness. My two best friends each grab one of my hands.

"We know that we weren't really there after the accident, and we're sorry for that. We just didn't know how to cope ourselves, but we're here now," Takako says and Yumi nods in agreement.

"If you don't feel up for practice or talk about the Cultural Festival tonight, that's perfectly fine. We can do other things."

They spent the night with me. Up until a little after midnight we talked about numerous things. Often, we reminisced about things in the past, and they held my hand through all my tears.

* * *

Hi guys!

I'm sorry for not updating in so long! I didn't realize how busy I would be this month with birthdays each weekend, having to go out of town, and having to double up on shifts at work to make up for requested time off. That young adult/college student life ya' know? Work hard to play hard!

So, I have a wedding to go to this weekend, school starts the following Monday, and I will be leaving for Los Angeles the following weekend. I'll be busy, but I'm ready. I am going to try to update consistently on Wednesdays, but if there's a problem I will leave a note at the end of this story's summary.

I hope all of you enjoy this chapter!

Take care


	17. Declaration

**Chapter 16: Declaration**

"Alright, that's a wrap!" Haru-kun calls out when the last segment is done being rehearsed. The week has gone by painfully slow, like carefully ripping off a band-aid. Every day has been the same: class, music club, myosotine, and isolated practice at my apartment, myosotine, and sleep. I carefully open the orange bottle, ignoring the scowls from Yumi and Takako, and drink up the fourth from last pill that I have. _"I'll have to refill my prescription soon…"_

"Sakura, I really think that you should cut back on that… _medicine_ of yours," Yumi cautiously says.

"Yeah, I did some research about it and found that it doesn't cure anything," Takako builds on. "It's also new on the market. Heaven knows what adverse affects it can have!"

"Okay… Once this bottle is done then so am I," I look them in the eye with a weak smile.

Yumi wraps her arms around me, and Takako looks down. This whole week I have tried. I have tried to be around them and enjoy their company. I have tried to sing, to dance, to perform. I have tried to talk and to reach out. I have tried to do it all on my own. Still, I always end up swallowing a little blue pill. I cannot find happiness in the things I once loved. There is something big missing. It feels like piecing together broken stained glass without the right adhesive… and without gloves.

"To be honest, guys," I begin with a shaky voice, "I cannot wait. I cannot wait for the Cultural Festival to be over. I cannot wait to not be forced into this anymore."

"Why do you say that?" Yumi asks pulling away from me.

I shake my head and open then close my mouth. My gaze averts from the ground to the heart wrenching faces of my two best friends.

"I just want to be left alone. I don't have the energy to be around all of you," I can feel the tears prick at the back of my eyes. "I'm sorry. It's not because I don't love you. I just wasn't ready for so much at once."

"It's all overwhelming, isn't it?" Takako questions me. "It's as though you're being forced to dive into your past headfirst without a lifejacket. You know, I'm studying psychology at the University. I don't mean any disrespect to Yuzuki-sama, but I feel as though her methods are unorthodox. It's almost like she is on the last platform of her patience and wants to force you into being better. I knew that forcing you to spend so much time with us, attend Music Club, and perform in the festival would be a great shock to your system. Still, I obliged her request because she is technically my senpai."

Takako takes a seat against the stage. I slowly make my way over to her with Yumi in tow. We all sit down together, and it's quiet for a moment. However, sometimes with people you know very well, you know that their silence only masks the loud thoughts running through their minds.

"I don't know how you're doing it Sakura," Yumi barely says loud enough to hear. "Everything you told us a few nights ago… I can still feel the pain I felt when I imagined what you went through. I thought that my heart actually had broken at that instant. The next day I skipped my classes and spent the day at Kyo's."

"Hmm," a small smile tugs at my lips, "How is he?"

"He's doing well. We're planning on getting a place together when this school year ends."

"That sounds nice."

"Yeah, it's almost going to be like we're married! I'm going to cook for him, and we're going to eat our meals together. We'll fall asleep together and wake up to each other. We've already begun picking things out for our new place."

"Shopping for your first apartment is a lot of fun. I think that helped me take my mind off of things and feel normal for a moment."

"You've always been good at shopping, Sakura," Takako jokes and we all laugh.

Then it's silent again.

"We'd better go now," I say getting up. "They'll be locking the doors soon."

The three of us silently make our way out of the school.

"It's pretty amazing, huh? Our kohai worked really hard this week. It's as though they've been practicing for months!" Yumi lightheartedly breaks the silence.

"Hey, we weren't bad either! I saw a few jaws hit the ground," Takako says.

"After the festival we should all celebrate! Maybe go on a weekend getaway with all of the Music Club?"

"As if their parents would allow them to leave town with two college girls, Yumi."

"Well, how about a really fancy dinner? I heard of this place near Sakura's apartment that just opened up. Munchkin's Bistro, was it?"

"Who in their right mind would name their fancy restaurant Munchkin's?"

"I think Yumi means Mushin's Bistro. I've heard of it, too," I say remembering my date there with Sesshomaru. "I think I'll pass on that. I wish to continue with the Music Festival though. I can handle it, but I'll complain every now and then."

"Sakura, you don't have to if you don't want to…" Takako gently says.

"No, I should. I don't leave things unfinished. I heard somewhere that the most difficult journeys yield the most beautiful destinations. I hope that after all this, I'll find my light."

We say our goodbyes at the train station and promise to see each other at practice on Monday. I have tomorrow and Sunday to recharge.

Class on Saturday is mandatory, but I make it optional. After I called the office alerting them that I will not make it I passed out for the rest of the day on my bed. I have a dreamless sleep, but that is interrupted at the loud rapping on my door in the late afternoon. _"Yuzuki-sama, just quit already!"_ I sigh getting out of bed. I take my time throwing on a skirt and blouse while ignoring the continuing knocks. Finally, I make my way to the door and turn the knob.

I cannot help myself as a grin splits my face and my pulse quickens. Sesshomaru stands in my doorway with his right wrist resting on the doorframe above his head.

"Why weren't you at school today?" he asks with his expression going from blank to reproachful.

"Good afternoon. It's nice to see you, too," I sigh and walk away leaving the door open for him to walk in.

I hear the door close and him kick off his shoes. Then he follows me to the couch where I plop down and draw my knees to my chest.

"Are you going to rat me out for playing hooky?" I inquire while wrapping my arms around my knees.

"No because then I would have to come up with an excuse as to why I came down here. Having not picked up any assignments from your other teachers it would be difficult," he replies taking a seat next to me.

"So why are you here?"

"Shouldn't a man check on his lady after she's been acting anxious all week and hasn't said a word to him?"

I cannot stop the blood from rushing to my face, and I peek up at him from behind my hair. His golden eyes dance with amusement, and the corners of his mouth perk up ever so slightly. The next thing I know he has an arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulls me to his chest. I let out a toxic sigh that is replaced with pleasure and contentment in my body. My head finds a comfortable spot where his neck and shoulder meet. We sit like this quietly for a while with his fingers running through my hair. All too soon he breaks the peaceful silence.

"How has Music Club been?"

"Would you like for me to give you a pleasing answer or the truth? Never mind, that's a stupid question… To get to the point it's been necessary torture."

"Why is that?"

"Takako believes that it's all too overwhelming for the fragile state I'm in, and I agree with her. But I can't drop out a week before the big show."

"Still, should you be putting yourself through so much?"

"Honestly, it's not really bad at all. I'm just being stubborn."

"Heh, aren't you always stubborn?"

"Hey!" I pull away from him and playfully punch his arm.

"Spare me," he says with a raised eyebrow and smirk. We both know that I am stubborn.

"You know what they want to do after the festival?" I ask him sitting back. "They want to have a fancy dinner party at your friend's restaurant."

"Is that so?" he responds after a breath.

"I don't think I will join them."

"Why not? It could be fun for you."

"Your friend and his entire staff cannot find out that I am a high school student. Also, I just want to take a break from everyone after the festival."

"If that is what you wish to do I won't talk you out of it," he says pulling me closer to him. I feel him bury his face in my hair, and I hear him inhale deeply.

"Is there anything you would like to do tonight, Sesshomaru?"

"I can think of several things," he says lowly in response to my genuinely innocent question.

"Um, is watching a movie, taking a walk, or getting dinner on your list?" I ask with my face burning.

"I suppose if those are things you wish to do," he chuckles pulling away from me.

"Perfect, lets start with a walk!" I gleefully say hopping off the couch and walking to my dresser. I pull out a pair of black tights to go with the grey skirt and white blouse that I am wearing. Then I head to the bathroom to properly put them on. Next I grab my plum colored flats and plum beret and wait for him by the door.

"Shouldn't you wear a jacket?" he questions while sauntering over to me.

"Is it really cold outside?"

"Cold enough to see your breath."

I sigh and head over to my dresser. I settle on an elegant white pea coat. Stepping out of the apartment building I feel the cold bite at my nose. In response I jam my hands into my pocket and tuck my chin in. Sesshomaru triumphantly smirks at my reaction to the temperature then wraps his arm around my waist. He leads me down the steps and across the street. We walk a couple blocks in silence, enjoying the other's company, until we reach a park.

"Strange, there's no one here and it's Saturday," I remark.

I step forward and take a seat on one of the swings. Sesshomaru positions himself behind me and gently begins to push. When I am at a decent height he stops and takes a seat in the empty swing next to me. Eventually I slow down and come to a halt.

"Sesshomaru, why me? Of all the eligible women your age, why me? A student with no family and enough baggage to make a plane struggle at lift off."

"Why not you? I don't see a broken girl when I look at you. I see a beautiful lady who challenges me with her beautiful mind. I see a strong woman, although jaded by recent events, still remembers how to laugh, smile, and look at her surroundings with beguiling curiosity," he pauses and gets up to stand in front of me. He grabs my hands and pulls me up to him. Then he wraps one arm around my waist, holding me close, and grips my chin to tilt upwards with the other hand. "I do see a crestfallen lady, but I can make her happy again. And not only am I able to, but I want to. I want to stop your tears and mend your broken heart. I want to be the reason for the frivolous smile on your face."

"Oh…" is all I can manage at his declaration, and I foolishly get lost in his eyes. Sesshomaru leans in carefully testing the waters, and to his joy I do not draw back. Shyly, he places his lips on mine. He tenderly sucks on my bottom lip before pulling back a tiny bit. Then he chastely pecks my lips again before pulling back completely to look into my dazed eyes. We are frozen in time; warmed by the other so not even the wind picking up phases us. Gold eyes and blue-green hues stare into each other. A small smile grace his face while my lips remain parted hoping for more. In this instant, I know what it means to _be in our own world_.

"The two of you...! Inconceivable!" a familiar voice yanks the both of us from cloud nine.

* * *

Hi guys!

Check it out! I updated on time, and with school just starting this week, too! I deserve some ice cream, haha.

So, intended cliff hanger? Possibly! It's just convenient that the chapter stops here because I have to be up in 5 hours to get ready for school and then a long shift at work. That broke student life, ya' feel me? Anyways, I have two ways the story can go from here. Who caught Sakura and Sesshomaru kissing? It's between Minami and Takako. I honestly have a plan for each, so forgive me if the update comes a little late while I debate on which path to take. On top of that I'm going to L.A. for the weekend and most likely will be kept from writing...

But every chance I get I will write something even if it comes to typing in little notes on my phone! Thanks to all of you for reading my story and reviewing. I appreciate it all so much!

Until next time!


	18. The Life Journey of My Rock

**Chapter 17: The Life Journey of My Rock**

In unison our heads snap towards the sound of Takako's voice. Sesshomaru's arms tighten their grip around me as if Takako threatens to tear me away. My jaw opens and closes repeatedly as I attempt to conjure an explanation. All the stories I can make up are pathetic, so I turn to Sesshomaru for help. He stares at Takako with his face relaxed and unreadable. She slowly strides towards us.

"What…? What is the meaning of this?" she's glaring daggers at the man who holds me. "You sick freak! You're totally taking advantage of her."

"Takako, you have it all wrong," I try to explain, but her words cause a bad feeling to creep up my spine.

"Have what all wrong?! Just look at the big picture! Lonely middle-aged man can't get a woman his own age so he has to prey on younger girls. Sakura, you're an easy target given the state you've been in. He's playing a sick game!"

"Contrary to what you believe, I am 24-years-old," Sesshomaru replies coolly.

_"How is he so calm when I'm borderline having a panic attack?"_

"You're only twenty-four? How are you a teacher at Shikon Academy?" Takako interrogates.

"I obtained my degree in communication and certification in teaching when I was twenty-two."

"So? Shikon Academy is a very prestigious school. Someone fresh out of college could never teach there!"

"I have all the right connections."

"Oh, really? Who are they?"

"I am not obligated to answer your questions," Sesshomaru says with narrowed eyes.

"Then I want to see your identification card with date of birth! Sakura may be of age, but I'm not letting her fall into the clutches of some sick wrinkly pervert!"

"No problem there, Taks. He most definitely isn't wrinkly; on parts that I've seen, at least," I unknowingly say out loud. _"Dammit, mind to mouth filter!"_

My statement is rewarded with a raised eyebrow and smirk from Sesshomaru, and a cherry-faced Takako.

"You guys hash things out," I say pulling away from him with my head down. "I'm going to stand over there before I say more than I need to."

"What?! More than you need to?! How far have you guys gone?!"

"The kiss you saw was our first," Sesshomaru sighs. "That's how far we have gone. Sakura, I believe you need to be a part of this conversation."

The three of us walk to a nearby picnic table. I sit next to Sesshomaru and Takako sits in front of us. My arms are folded over the table while Sesshomaru and Takako have theirs in their laps. I sigh and begin.

"So shall we start with Sesshomaru allowing you to see his I.D.?"

"Oh, so you guys are on a first name basis. Well _Sesshomaru_, if that is your name, let me see the plastic!"

Sesshomaru pulls out his wallet and slips his I.D. from the slot. He carelessly tosses it in Takako's direction. I know that he is only cooperating with her because now she knows our secret.

"Date of birth: 18 of March, 1990. Alright, so you are 24," Takako declares giving Sesshomaru back his I.D. "And I'm going to conclude that the two of you want me to remain silent about this matter."

"Obviously."

"He means yes, please," I say elbowing him. "His career isn't the only thing on the line. I would be expelled from school if this got out."

"And I wouldn't want that to happen to you, Sakura," Takako smiles to me, "But you, why a student? All the ones your age think you're creepy?"

Sesshomaru narrows his eyes once again at Takako. In remembrance of his declaration only moments ago, a smile tugs at my lips and my eyes soften. I reach out and slip my hand into his. I understand if he refuses to tell her. His words are for me and me alone. They are special and not just for anyone's ears. He turns to look at me and his scowl subsides.

"Takako, you may not trust him yet, but I do. So trust me when I say that he's not the creeper you see him to be. He has taken good care of me since I returned to school, and he has saved me here and there. He is my rock."

Sesshomaru squeezes my hand and Takako looks back at us thoughtfully.

"Well, if he makes you happy, Sakura," Takako caves. "I won't tell anyone. Not even Yumi. But if you make her cry I will bring down the noise on your career, Instructor Cradle Robber."

"Takako, he's not that old!"

"He's out of college and works a grown up job! That's old on a different scale!" she teases. "Well, I'm just in the neighborhood to drop this off."

She pulls a dry-cleaner ticket out of her bag and hands it to me.

"This is for your outfits for the show next week. You look the same size since I saw you last year, so it should still fit."

"Thank you," I say tucking the ticket into my coats pocket. "Do you want to grab a hot drink with us?" I ignore the irritated look on Sesshomaru's face.

"Heh heh, next time. I have a lot of studying to catch up on," Takako gets up from her seat with a wink. "I will see you on Monday!"

I watch her walk away until she disappears among the crowd that formed outside of the park.

"Does my lady wish to grab something hot to drink?" Sesshomaru asks wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Hot tea sounds amazing," I respond leaning against him.

We get up and leave the park. I walk next to him as we make our way to the little café where he asked me to go steady over the summer.

"So, I understand that I am your rock."

"Most fitting, right? You are pretty rough around the edges."

"Sakura, I have exhausted the patience I have to tolerate sass on your friend."

"Ha ha, I'm only kidding… Sort of."

I wrap my arms around his waist as we near the café. Once there, Sesshomaru guides me to a couch in the back before heading to the counter. He returns with two hot cups of tea and places them both on the coffee table. He sits right beside me.

"You know… I don't know very much about you," I break our pleasant silence.

"What would you like to know?"

"Well, do you have any brothers or sisters? What are your parents like?"

"I have one half-brother who's younger than me. My parents divorced and my father remarried when I was a toddler. I stayed with my mother, but I still saw my father often. There was no bitterness between them. They just realized that they loved each other in different ways."

"I see. Are you close with your half-brother?"

"He's simply there."

"How about your step mother?"

"I only see her during family functions."

"Do they live in this city?"

"No, I'm originally from Tokyo."

"Oh, so they're all back there. Well, tell me all about your life growing up."

He raises a brow at me and I turn towards him. I rest one arm on top of the couches back and lean my head against my knuckles with a smile on my face. My posture alone tells him that I am ready for a story. With a sigh, he obliges.

"And be detailed! Fine details account for a majority of your grade in this assignment," he smirks at my orders then begins.

"I was born in Tokyo. When I was three-years-old my parents divorced and right after my father married the daughter of one of the first clients he had for his business. They had a son together, and as I grew older that kid began coming over when my father visited; which was often. Inuyasha was a nuisance. He often stole my toys and would cry when I wouldn't play with him. Father enrolled him into the same elementary school as me. He would often pick fights with the older students, and I would have to come bail him out. When we were teenagers not much changed except this time I would force him to stand up for himself. Somehow, I took his side even when he deserved what was coming to him."

"What would he do to provoke the older students?"

"There was one instance when he hit on the girlfriend of one of my classmates. Naraku didn't take it lightly, and was definitely pissed when Kikyo wound up leaving him to date Inuyasha for a little while. During that time Naraku and his friends made arrangements for a brawl against Inuyasha and his group."

"Wow, then what happened?"

"Unfortunately for Naraku he didn't know that Inuyasha is my younger brother. I still remember the fear on Naraku's face when he saw me standing next to him."

"So you're a big tough guy, huh?"

"I'm a skilled martial artist. In high school I dreamed of becoming a professional MMA fighter, but father sent me to college where I developed other interests."

"I would never have seen you as the fighting type."

"I have the body for it. You would know," he smirks and I flush.

"Continuing, my life growing up consisted solely of martial arts, school, and dealing with my kid brother. I didn't start dating until college…"

"Oh? And who was the lucky lady?"

"Do you really want to hear about this?"

"Yes," is my answer, but his expression has me uneasy.

"Very well, her name was Kagura. I met her on campus in the student center of the university. It didn't strike me as odd that she was there so late as many students stay late studying. Somehow, I recognized her and she seemed to recognize me as well. We sat together often and studied in silence until she finally spoke up one day. 'You're Inutaisho Sesshomaru, aren't you?' she asked me. 'I'm Kagura, Naraku's younger sister. Do you not remember me?' I barely did remember her. I recall seeing her cowering beside her overbearing brother before and after school. Over time we talked more and more and grew closer. It wasn't until we officially started a relationship did I find out how abusive Naraku was. He was the reason she stayed on campus late. She was avoiding him. Eventually, I talked her into moving in with me. The day arrived and I headed over to her house to help move things over. I felt something wrong as soon as I got out of the car."

"What happened…?" I ask as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I rang the doorbell three times, and still received no answer. I called her cell phone and the house phone over and over but she didn't pick up. It was odd because her car and her brother's car were parked in the driveway. She told me that their parents were on a weeklong business trip, so I knew they couldn't have had a family outing. Realization hit me, and I knocked the door down. The house was empty with an eerie feeling. I rushed to her bedroom, and there she was. She was lying on the floor, and it wasn't until I got closer did I see the blood and a knife jutting out of her chest."

My hands are covering my face now, and his fingers are rubbing his temples.

"I'm sorry I asked and made you recount that."

"It's fine. I had to recount it so many times that I don't feel anything anymore. I expelled all the anger I felt soon after when they tracked down Naraku. I made sure that prison beatings wouldn't compare to what I did to him."

"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. We can talk about something else…"

"If I don't finish my life story are you going to give me a failing grade for incomplete work?" he smirks at me.

I listen to him continue on. After Kagura and coping with her loss. Moving on and meeting Sara; whom I have concluded is bat shit crazy and a stage nine clinger.

"So what made you want to move to Osaka?"

"A few of my college friends were from here, and after graduation they moved back. I needed a fresh start in a new town after graduation."

"And you became a student teacher at the academy."

"Indeed. A decision that lead to another magnificent thing in my life. It looks like they're closing the café now."

We get up and discard our empty cups.

"How about you, Sakura. Is it too soon to hear about your life story?"

"That is a conversation for another time," I say mimicking his words from a while back. He walks me back to my apartment and we walk in silence.

"I suppose I will see you Monday," I say in front of my door.

"I suppose you will see me Monday," he responds.

"Okay, then… Monday."

He nods. _"Ugh.. Fine."_

"Well goodnight, Sesshomaru," I turn and unlock my door. Before I can step in he grabs my arm and spins me around.

"Goodnight, Sakura," he pulls me close and immediately I feel his lips against mine.

* * *

Hi!

School is seriously kicking my ass... Word of advice: be careful when you take three years off and think that you can dive in full swing (12 credits).

Until next time!


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